Response 2 - snow white reponse PDF

Preview

Summary

snow white reponse...

Description

Response #2 Sexton's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs": How is the queen aging in Anne Sexton's poem? In Anne Sexton’s version of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” the Queen is aged not only in her appearance but also in her emotions. There are many instances throughout the story that prove the Queen’s aging as well as her rising crisis of confidence. One of these examples is when the Queen looks into the mirror and notices “brown spots on her hand / and four whiskers over her lip” (5). It is also stated that she is “a beauty in her own right, / though eaten, of course, by age” (3). This provides evidence that the Queen’s appearance is diminishing over time. Another example of the Queens aging is seen in her emotional state. This can be seen in her fervor to acquire and consume Snow Whites heart (5). Here, one can see that the Queen’s age has made her emotional instable. Not only will the Queen go as far as killing a young girl, but she also attempts to attain beauty through consuming what she thinks to be Snow White’s heart. Ultimately, the Queens aging has had a negative impact on her emotions as well as her physical appearance.

How do her actions relate to the excerpt from Saucier’s article “Midlife and Beyond: Issues for Aging Women”? The Queen’s desperate acts to achieve beauty are greatly reflected by Maggie Saucier’s excerpt from the article “Midlife and Beyond: Issues for Aging Women”. There are many instances from both pieces of writing that prove the stigma against aging can have a negative emotional factor on women. One of these example would be when the Queen consistently asks the mirror “Who is the fairest of us all?”(5). She does this to reassure herself that she is the most beautiful in the land. She also does this to ensure her royal status as well as secure her feelings of pride. This is paralleled in Saucier’s article when she describes “that women act as if they believe the shape of their lives depends on the shape of their bodies”. In both instances the Queen as well as other women feel the need to look a certain way to maintain certain statuses and to have a sense of worth. Aside from this, Saucier explains that “Women are expected to maintain thin bodies, unwrinkled and unblemished faces, and all other physical traits associated with youth”. This is particularly difficult for the Queen to achieve due to the fact that aging is a natural, uncontrolled process. The pressures of looking youthful and beautiful can create too much emotional stress for anyone person to handle. Thus leading to the Queens drastic antics to achieve beauty....