Anne Sexton, a poet whose work grappled with themes of mental illness, death, and personal turmoil, left behind a body of work that speaks to the depths of human experience. One of her most celebrated poems, “The Starry Night,” is no exception. In this piece, Sexton confronts her personal struggles with depression and her struggle to understand her own place within the broader tapestry of life. Through “The Starry Night,” Sexton explores the vastness of the universe, juxtaposing the stars in the night sky with her inner world.
The poem is often considered a reflection on Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting, also titled The Starry Night. Van Gogh’s masterpiece, painted in 1889, has long been interpreted as a depiction of the artist’s emotional state, suggesting that the swirling stars in the sky represent his turbulent mental health. Sexton, much like van Gogh, struggled with periods of severe depression and self-doubt, making the connection between the two artists’ works compelling. But why did Anne Sexton write “The Starry Night”? To explore this question, we must consider her personal history, the themes of the poem, and the way it engages with van Gogh’s work.
Sexton’s Struggles with Mental Health
To understand why Sexton wrote The Starry Night, it is essential to understand her struggles with mental health. Sexton’s poetry is frequently associated with themes of suicide, mental illness, and the overwhelming nature of human existence. Her mental health battles were well-documented, and they often fueled her creative output. Sexton suffered from severe depression for much of her life, experiencing periods of intense despair. She was institutionalized several times for mental health treatment, and these experiences shaped her poetry.
In many ways, The Starry Night can be seen as an expression of Sexton’s own inner turmoil. She connects with van Gogh’s emotional experience of the night sky, using the image of stars as a metaphor for the thoughts that swirl in her mind. The swirling stars, which van Gogh portrayed as chaotic and turbulent, become a symbol for Sexton’s own mental chaos. She reflects on the vastness of the universe, but also the ways in which her mind feels trapped within it.
The connection between van Gogh’s mental state and Sexton’s own experiences is clear. Van Gogh’s painting is known for its emotional intensity, and Sexton mirrored this intensity in her own writing. Just as van Gogh’s depiction of the stars and sky conveyed an emotional depth that went beyond the visual, Sexton’s poem taps into the emotional experience of grappling with feelings of insignificance and despair.
The Poem’s Engagement with van Gogh’s Painting
Van Gogh’s The Starry Night has become one of the most iconic works of art in the world, and its deep emotional resonance makes it a perfect subject for Sexton’s poetry. In her poem, Sexton doesn’t merely describe the painting; she reflects on its symbolism and uses it as a gateway to discuss broader themes of suffering, madness, and hope.
Sexton’s engagement with van Gogh’s art suggests that she saw his painting as a mirror to her own emotional struggles. Much like van Gogh, Sexton was concerned with the juxtaposition between inner turmoil and outward appearance. In The Starry Night, she uses the image of stars to symbolize the contrast between the enormity of the universe and the smallness of human suffering. The stars in van Gogh’s painting swirl in vibrant, almost feverish patterns. Sexton, in her poem, draws attention to this very intensity, using it as a metaphor for the chaotic thoughts and feelings that fill her own mind.
Sexton’s decision to write about van Gogh’s painting was not an arbitrary one. The painting itself is a rich tapestry of emotion, depicting a view of the night sky from an asylum window. This setting echoes Sexton’s own experiences in psychiatric hospitals. For both van Gogh and Sexton, the work of art becomes a way to make sense of their experiences with mental illness. The swirling forms of the sky and the exaggerated colors in the painting suggest a heightened emotional state, a theme Sexton explores in her poem.
The Symbolism of the Stars
One of the central symbols in “The Starry Night” is the stars themselves. Throughout history, stars have been associated with a sense of wonder, mystery, and eternity. In Sexton’s poem, however, the stars become a symbol of something much darker: the overwhelming sense of isolation and despair that can arise from mental illness. The stars seem to loom large over the speaker’s world, but rather than offering comfort, they amplify her sense of insignificance.
Sexton writes:
“The stars are alive, my husband says.
But I know they are not. They are dead
things, black holes in the night sky.”
Here, Sexton challenges the conventional symbolism of stars as guiding lights or symbols of hope. Instead, she presents them as cold, distant, and lifeless. The speaker’s rejection of the stars’ supposed vitality mirrors her own emotional disconnection from the world around her. Sexton’s use of stars as a symbol for despair contrasts sharply with traditional associations of stars with beauty or inspiration. This inversion reflects her deep dissatisfaction with life, and her feelings of alienation from both the natural world and the people around her.
Moreover, the deadness of the stars in the poem could be seen as an expression of Sexton’s own fear of mortality and the possibility of eternal nothingness. Like van Gogh, Sexton faced the terrifying notion of existential loneliness, and the stars, rather than offering any solace, become a reminder of life’s impermanence and the inevitable end.
Themes of Isolation and Longing
Another crucial theme in “The Starry Night” is isolation. Sexton writes about the stars, the night, and the vastness of the universe, but she also focuses on the sense of being alone in that universe. For Sexton, the vastness of the cosmos underscores her feelings of isolation. The stars seem unreachable, and this distance is mirrored by her perception of herself in relation to others.
In many ways, Sexton’s poem explores a yearning for connection, but also a deep fear that such connection is unattainable. The speaker is overwhelmed by the enormity of the universe, and this realization leads to a sense of disconnection. The stars represent not just distance but also the longing to understand one’s place in the world.
This longing for connection is further complicated by the fact that Sexton was writing in the midst of her own struggles with mental illness. As someone who often felt disconnected from society, the stars in the poem might represent a symbol of what she couldn’t reach—whether that be understanding, peace, or a sense of purpose. The tension between the desire for connection and the realization that such connection might be impossible is a central element of the poem.
The Search for Meaning
Sexton’s The Starry Night can also be seen as a reflection of the search for meaning in a world that often seems chaotic and indifferent. This theme of seeking meaning is intertwined with the poem’s examination of van Gogh’s painting. The speaker’s reflections on the stars and the night sky serve as a metaphor for the larger human struggle to find purpose and understanding in life.
The image of the stars might also reflect the speaker’s attempts to find order in the midst of chaos. Just as van Gogh’s swirling stars convey a sense of turmoil and confusion, Sexton’s poem reflects her own search for clarity. The search for meaning is a deeply human endeavor, and in her poem, Sexton gives voice to the frustration and hopelessness that can come when such meaning seems elusive.
Conclusion
Anne Sexton’s The Starry Night is a profound meditation on suffering, isolation, and the human search for meaning. By drawing on the imagery of van Gogh’s painting, Sexton channels the emotional power of the artwork to explore her own inner world. The stars, which in van Gogh’s painting symbolize chaos and confusion, are reimagined by Sexton as dead and distant symbols of despair. Her exploration of isolation, mental illness, and the longing for connection makes the poem a powerful statement on the human condition.
Sexton’s decision to write about The Starry Night was likely influenced by her own struggles with depression and her deep empathy for van Gogh’s pain. By engaging with van Gogh’s painting, Sexton not only creates a bridge between her personal experience and the experience of another artist, but she also invites the reader to reflect on the vastness of the universe and the isolation that can accompany it. In doing so, she transforms the simple image of the stars into a poignant metaphor for the complexities of life and the human heart.
