The Starry Night by Anne Sexton and Vincent Van Gogh Essay

The Starry Night by Anne Sexton and Vincent Van Gogh - Essay Example Sexton’s extreme tone reflects the energy of van Gogh’s â€Å"Starry Night.† The composition portrays â€Å"the fire that seethed within† van Gogh (Dietrich). The canvas is in strife. Sexton’s sonnet additionally pulsates with profound disturbance: The sky is hot, â€Å"The night boils,† (†¦4); the stars are alive and move; â€Å"†¦the moon bulges†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (8) and brings forth life. The sonnet echoes the painting’s dreamlike tone with its hot, sensational, flimsy voice. Sexton’s liberal utilization of action words like â€Å"boil,† â€Å"bulges,† â€Å"push,† â€Å"swallows,†Ã¢â‚¬ split† and â€Å"sucked† show her internal unrest. With the exception of the quietness of the town, the sonnet delineates a universe of disturbance. Sexton’s tone passes on the message that her brilliant night, similar to her internal life, is in a condition of age. Sexton’s sonnet is a gala of symbolism. She coordinates the rich designs of van Gogh’s sonnet with the skilful utilization of allegorical language. Sexton makes van Gogh’s energetic night a voracious mammoth: â€Å"†¦that incredible dragon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (14) which is to eat up her. The thick, serpentine whirl of his brush turns into the â€Å"†¦old concealed serpent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (10) which swallows the stars. Her words, â€Å"†¦in its orange irons† (8), invoke a picture of the moon as a hostage who is compelled to bring forth the stars. The most striking picture is that of the solitary, dark tree outlined in the closer view of van Gogh’s painting, which Sexton allegorically thinks about to a â€Å"†¦drowned woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (3). Similarly as van Gogh’s tree connects with the Heavens for help, Sexton portrays herself as a lost lady looking for comfort in the skies.