I really enjoyed the poem "Cinderella," because it is not all sunshine and roses like the Disney version. This poem takes a well known story from Disney and depicts its origin, which is part of the Grimm fairy tales. This version uses the dove in order to give Cinderella everything that she desires, rather than a magical Godmother. The dove symbolizes the pure love of the mother, as well as the animalistic instincts that a mother would have if her child were being wronged. When Cinderella is in need, the dove is there to provide for her since the mother can not be. When Cinderella is being wronged by others, the dove comes to her aid. I could not help but picture the dove as the spiritual essence that the mother left behind, instead of smiling "down from heaven in the seam of a cloud" like the mother said that she would do. Overall, I thoroughly prefer this work and its gruesome details in comparison to Disney's adaptation.
The second poem made me laugh. Most of the time you really do not want to know the true story because it does not have the soft edges or enthusiasm that an alternative version has. I could not help but think of the different versions of Cinderella and how most (if Grimm's version is more like the true story since it is where the adaptation came from) do not want to know about eyes being pecked out or women cutting their feet to make a shoe fit. The two poems went hand in hand for me after making this connection that the first is like the true story that the second says you should not ask for. My mind then went to the saying that there is a right side, wrong side, my side, and his side to every story. The variations are what allow for adaptation, and most of the time the preferable choice of which side we accept is due to the fact that we innately dislike confrontation and discomfort.
There are some real, true stories being told in these poems. I wonder what Sexton would think of the other poem about the "true stories." I like your analysis of the dove. I didn't even pick up on the motherly intentions of the bird and I think my mother would act the same way if she were a dove.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly agree that there are some "true stories" being told in these poems as well. Regrettably I believe I got caught up in the poems as a whole. I took from them what had the biggest impact on me. I am pretty sure that my mother would probably be just as protective as this dove as well.
DeleteI agree that the dove does symbolize the essence of the mother, and if you have ever seen the musical Into The Woods there is not a bird, but rather her mother actually is given a voice when Cinderella cries to the tree. I think that Stephen Sondheim would agree with the bird actually being a spiritual link to Cinderella's mother than that just a bird.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with how we want a modified version because the true version is too violent. We don't want to know that the stepsisters had their eyes pecked out or chopped off part of their feet. That's just too violent for us and thus we welcome the Disney version that makes such a cruel tale seem happy and nice.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I did not make the connection of the bird being a symbol of motherhood, now that I see it, I agree completely. You provide ample in text evidence to the idea of the dove being a motherly symbol and it changed my view of the dove from the first time I read.
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