Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton’s "The Breast" is a poem that explores the complex relationship between the body, identity, and desire. The breast, as a symbol, is central to the poem’s meditation on femininity, sexuality, and the evolving sense of self. Sexton uses vivid and often visceral imagery to convey the shifting perceptions of the body, moving from innocence to awareness, from objectification to a more empowered understanding of self.

The poem begins with a declarative statement: "This is the key to it. / This is the key to everything." The repetition emphasizes the importance of the breast, not just as a physical feature, but as a symbol of femininity, nourishment, and sexual identity. The word "preciously" adds a layer of reverence, indicating that the breast holds a deep significance in the speaker’s life and psyche. However, the tone quickly shifts as the speaker compares herself to "the gamekeeper's children, / picking for dust and bread," suggesting a sense of deprivation and longing. The image of "drumming up perfume" evokes a futile effort to create something beautiful or desirable out of nothing, highlighting the speaker’s struggle to define herself and her body in a world that often reduces women to objects of desire.

Sexton introduces a note of desperation with the line "because the child in me is dying, dying." This suggests a loss of innocence, a transition from childhood to the complexities of adult womanhood. The speaker’s plea to "go down on your carpet, / your straw mattress" reflects a willingness to submit, to be vulnerable, in an attempt to reclaim something lost. Yet, this is not a submission to being "cattle to be eaten" or "some sort of street," rejecting the notion of being merely an object for consumption or a passive recipient of others' desires.

The line "But your hands found me like an architect" introduces the idea of being shaped or constructed by another's touch, implying that the speaker’s identity has been influenced or even created by external forces. The "jugful of milk" metaphorically references the breast as a source of nourishment, something that once belonged to another ("It was yours years ago") when the speaker "lived in the valley of my bones." This imagery suggests a time of vulnerability, when the speaker’s body and sense of self were still forming, "dumb in the swamp" and not yet fully realized.

As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on how her perception of her body has evolved. The breast, once "little playthings" like a "xylophone" awkwardly covered with skin, eventually becomes "something real," something that carries weight and significance. This realization, however, is tinged with insecurity, as the speaker measures herself "against movie stars" and finds that she "didn't measure up." The sense of inadequacy is palpable, with the speaker noting that something was "there" between her shoulders, but "never enough."

The poem’s tone shifts again as the speaker acknowledges the societal expectations placed on women. "Sure, there was a meadow, / but no young men singing the truth," she says, lamenting the lack of authenticity and the absence of a genuine connection to the body. The line "Ignorant of men I lay next to my sisters" highlights the solidarity among women, yet also the shared ignorance and confusion about their bodies and their place in the world. The image of "rising out of the ashes" suggests a rebirth or transformation, but this transformation is fraught with pain and uncertainty, as the speaker cries out that her "sex will be transfixed!"

In the latter part of the poem, the speaker embraces various identities—"mother," "daughter," "brand new thing"—indicating the multiplicity of roles that women are expected to play. The comparison to a "snail, a nest" evokes images of vulnerability and protection, yet also of something new and tender that requires care. The speaker's declaration that she is "alive when your fingers are" suggests that her sense of self is deeply connected to touch and the physical experience of being seen and felt by another.

The metaphor of wearing "silk — the cover to uncover" introduces the idea of appearances versus reality. The speaker wants to be thought of as silk—luxurious, desirable—but she dislikes the cloth because "it is too stern," perhaps too rigid or confining. This tension between the external image and internal reality is a recurring theme in the poem, as the speaker grapples with how she is perceived versus how she truly feels.

The poem concludes with a powerful expression of youthful passion and desire: "I am unbalanced — but I am not mad with snow. / I am mad the way young girls are mad, / with an offering, an offering . . ." The speaker’s madness is not one of cold detachment or insanity, but of fervent, youthful intensity—a desire to give, to be seen, to be loved. The final line, "I burn the way money burns," encapsulates the destructive yet exhilarating nature of this desire. Just as money can be consumed in an instant, so too can the speaker’s passion, leaving nothing but ashes behind.

"The Breast" is a meditation on the complexities of female identity, the pressures of societal expectations, and the deep-seated desire for connection and recognition. Sexton uses the breast as a central symbol to explore these themes, capturing the conflicting emotions that accompany the journey from innocence to awareness, from objectification to empowerment. Through her vivid and often unsettling imagery, Sexton gives voice to the internal struggles of womanhood, revealing the beauty, pain, and power that reside within the female body and soul.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...