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 serious tone reflects the enthusiasm of van Gogh’s â€Å"Starry Night.† The canvas portrays â€Å"the fire that seethed within† van Gogh (Dietrich). The canvas is in unrest. 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, emotional, temperamental 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† exhibit her inward unrest. Aside from 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 inward life, is in a condition of mature. Sexton’s sonnet is a din ing experience of symbolism. She coordinates the rich designs of van Gogh’s sonnet with the skilful utilization of metaphorical language. Sexton makes van Gogh’s energetic night an avaricious 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 frontal area 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.