Anne Sexton, one of the most influential American poets of the 20th century, is widely recognized for her confessional style of poetry that addressed taboo subjects such as mental illness, sexuality, and death. Her poetic journey, which took root during a period of emotional turmoil and personal upheaval, reveals how her creative instincts were shaped and nurtured by her life experiences. While Anne Sexton’s poetic voice would later become a cornerstone of modern poetry, her beginnings as a writer were more serendipitous and deeply intertwined with the challenges she faced in her personal life.
This article seeks to explore when Anne Sexton began writing, shedding light on the early moments that sparked her creativity. Additionally, the article will examine the emotional, psychological, and historical factors that contributed to her decision to embrace writing as both a personal catharsis and a form of public expression.
Early Life and Struggles
Born in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1928, Anne Sexton had a difficult childhood that would significantly influence her writing. Sexton’s early life was marked by a range of psychological struggles, including feelings of inadequacy, depression, and an overwhelming sense of alienation. These emotional challenges would later become central themes in her poetry. Her relationship with her mother, who was controlling and emotionally distant, further complicated her sense of identity. Sexton often referred to her mother in her poems, portraying her as both an influence on her emotional fragility and a complex source of both anger and love.
Sexton’s teenage years were troubled. She attended Rogers Hall, an elite boarding school, where she was known for being a rebellious and emotionally unstable student. Her behavior and mental health issues led to multiple instances of self-harm, which later became a recurring theme in her poetry. After high school, Sexton’s mental health continued to deteriorate, culminating in a suicide attempt in 1954, a moment that would be pivotal in her life.
The Turning Point: Therapy and the Birth of Writing
It was during the period following her suicide attempt that Anne Sexton first began to seriously consider writing. Sexton was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where she began to receive therapy from Dr. Martin Orne, a prominent psychiatrist at the time. During her time in the hospital, Orne encouraged her to write as a form of therapy. Initially, writing was not a creative endeavor for Sexton; rather, it was a way to explore her emotions and engage in self-reflection. In an interview, Sexton would later remark that she “did not write poems at first” but instead wrote as a method of confronting her inner turmoil.
This therapeutic approach proved to be the catalyst that propelled Sexton into the world of poetry. She began writing prolifically, using verse as an outlet for the anguish she had suppressed for years. Her poems initially served as a means of understanding and releasing her pain, but over time, they evolved into a sophisticated literary form that addressed universal themes of suffering, despair, and survival.
Sexton’s early poems, however, were not immediately embraced by the literary world. Like many poets beginning their careers, she faced challenges in gaining recognition. However, under the encouragement of her therapist and other literary mentors, Sexton began to refine her craft and develop a distinctive voice. Dr. Orne played a crucial role in this transformation, pushing Sexton to view her writing as more than just a personal exercise. He urged her to write with the intention of sharing her experiences with the world, helping her realize that her deeply personal struggles could resonate with others.
The Influence of Other Writers
While Sexton’s personal struggles were the main driving force behind her poetry, she was also influenced by other writers who had navigated similar themes. One of her most significant early influences was the poet Robert Lowell, a figure synonymous with the confessional poetry movement. Sexton met Lowell in the late 1950s, and he became both a mentor and a source of inspiration for her work. The confessional style of writing, which became a hallmark of Sexton’s poetry, was rooted in the idea that a poet’s personal life—complete with its pain, flaws, and contradictions—could be the subject of public art.
Sexton was also influenced by other poets such as Sylvia Plath, W.D. Snodgrass, and John Berryman, all of whom were associated with confessional poetry. The movement was revolutionary in that it broke down the barrier between the private and the public, opening up emotional experiences to scrutiny and reflection. Sexton’s embrace of this literary form allowed her to engage deeply with her emotions while simultaneously exploring the broader human condition.
However, Sexton’s voice was distinct from her contemporaries in that she integrated a raw and candid exploration of women’s issues, such as motherhood, sexuality, and identity. Her poems often focused on the complexities of the female experience, giving voice to emotions that were rarely articulated in the literary world at the time.
The Role of Family and Personal Experiences
One of the most significant factors in Anne Sexton’s decision to begin writing was her experience as a mother. Sexton gave birth to two daughters, Linda and Joyce, during the early years of her writing career. Her experiences with motherhood, both fulfilling and fraught with challenges, served as a powerful catalyst for her poetry. Sexton’s exploration of motherhood was not idealized but instead captured the tension, doubt, and conflict that often accompany the role of a mother.
Her marriage to her husband, Alfred Sexton, also influenced her writing, as their turbulent relationship provided a rich source of material. Anne Sexton’s poems were filled with references to her family dynamics, as she grappled with the expectations and frustrations of being a wife and mother while struggling with her own identity and mental health issues. Her work often portrayed her as both a victim and a survivor, trying to make sense of her fractured self in a world that seemed to demand perfection.
The confessional nature of her poetry made her work intensely personal, but it also helped bridge the gap between her own experience and the experiences of others. Through her poetry, Sexton was able to communicate the universal challenges of being a woman, a mother, and a person grappling with mental illness. Her poems made it clear that these issues were not merely her own but were reflective of broader societal struggles.
Early Poems and Public Recognition
By the early 1960s, Anne Sexton had become a recognized figure in the literary community. Her first collection of poems, To Bedlam and Part Way Back (1960), was a revelation in the literary world. The collection featured poems that chronicled her personal journey through mental illness, hospitalization, and therapy. The themes of the collection were bold and provocative, challenging the boundaries of what poetry could address.
Sexton’s subsequent collections, including All My Pretty Ones (1962) and Live or Die (1966), continued to build on the themes of death, mental illness, and the search for identity. Live or Die won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1967, cementing Sexton’s place in the canon of American literature. The recognition she received helped to secure her reputation as one of the leading voices of her generation.
Her work garnered both praise and criticism for its emotional intensity and unapologetic openness. Some critics felt that her writing was too raw and unrefined, while others lauded her for her courage in addressing topics that were rarely discussed in mainstream literature. Despite the mixed reception, Anne Sexton’s writing was undeniably groundbreaking, and her contribution to the world of poetry would go on to shape the future of American literature.
Conclusion
Anne Sexton’s decision to start writing was not a clear-cut or linear process, but rather a response to the challenges she faced in her personal life. Her poetry was born out of pain and self-exploration, and it was nurtured by a therapeutic environment that encouraged her to express her emotions through verse. Through her journey, Sexton discovered that writing was not only a way to heal herself but also a means of sharing her experience with others.
The early stages of Anne Sexton’s writing career were defined by a struggle to find her voice and a determination to turn her personal trauma into art. Influenced by the confessional poetry movement and inspired by other literary figures, she forged a unique path that combined the personal and the universal. Sexton’s writing, deeply rooted in her life experiences, continues to resonate with readers today for its emotional honesty, literary skill, and its exploration of the complexities of being human.
Anne Sexton’s journey from a young woman grappling with depression and suicidal thoughts to one of the most important poets of her generation is a testament to the transformative power of writing. It is a reminder that sometimes the darkest moments of our lives can give birth to some of the most powerful and lasting expressions of art.
