How Does Anne Sexton Use Similes In Rumpelstiltskin

There is nothing more beautiful than the human language. Words that flow off of the tongue like honey bring readers to a place of tranquility. Words are comparable to a Vincent van Gogh painting: complex but simplistic. Anne Sexton uses the work of Brother Grimm to create her own dazzling work of confessional poetry in Transformations. Her poem entitled “Rumpelstiltskin” uses figurative language such as similes and allusions to enhance the imagery of her poems and transform these short stories into confessional poetry. Anne Sexton utilizes similes and metaphors to help portray messages to her readers. She sprinkles similes throughout her poetry in order for her audience to better understand what she is trying to express as well as explain

Allusions are essentially used as imagery and draw attention to something that holds a particular message or reference. In “Rumpelstiltskin,” Anne Sexton uses allusions to depict different images for the reader as well as adding a powerful component to her own confessional poetry while referencing the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. One allusion that Sexton clearly uses is in the lead up to the poem, “Rumpelstiltskin.” She refers to the former United States president, Harry Truman, to describe the dwarf as someone who lives inside us by saying: “he speaks up as tiny as an earphone / with Truman’s asexual voice” (Sexton, 17). Alluding to President Truman allows the reader to capture the dwarf’s voice and to uncover some of Sexton’s own views of Truman. By denoting to Truman with words such as “monster” and “evil,” the reader can infer that Sexton did not have the greatest opinion about President Truman. She also describes his voice as being asexual, which also allows the reader to understand some of the sexual views that Sexton has about President Truman. Another allusion Sexton uses in “Rumpelstiltskin” is with the line: “I have been exhibited on Bond Street” (Sexton, 17). Bond Street is a popular shopping area in London that could have been a memorable place for Anne Sexton. By alluding to Bond Street, she is able to give the reader a better understanding of the dwarf’s emotions. Saying that he was exhibited on Bond Street indicates that he is so lonely that he would go as far as being bought in order to join a family. This allusion also allows us to understand some of the personal life of Anne Sexton. Using Bond Street as an allusion may display that she has a particular memory or influence that goes back to an experience in Bond Street. Allusions are powerful poetic elements that help an author create beautiful imagery as well as add to the confessional poetry of an