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 enthusiasm of van Gogh’s â€Å"Starry Night.† The artwork portrays â€Å"the fire that seethed within† van Gogh (Dietrich). The canvas is in strife. Sexton’s sonnet likewise pulsates with profound fomentation: 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, shaky 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 strife. With the exception of the quietness of the town, the sonnet portrays 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 g ala of symbolism. She coordinates the rich illustrations of van Gogh’s sonnet with the skilful utilization of allegorical language. Sexton makes van Gogh’s dynamic night an insatiable monster: 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 looks at 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.