Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Sanctuary" by Norman Dubie is a vivid and haunting narrative poem that intertwines themes of art, identity, and the macabre through the lens of a film production. The poem is set during the filming of Émile Zola's novel *Therese Raquin*, a story laden with betrayal, murder, and guilt, and Dubie uses this setting to explore the psychological depth of the characters involved in the production, both on and off the screen.

The narrator, who is cast as one of the corpses in the movie, provides an introspective look at the bizarre and eerie experience of portraying death. Charles Barzon, the director described as a "genius," assigns complex backstories to the actors playing dead bodies, enriching their roles with secret lives that transcend their physical stillness. This method acting technique suggests that even in death, there remains a story, a history that defines the essence of the person.

The poem delves into the transformation required for the role, where the narrator must shave her body to achieve a marble-like appearance, evoking imagery of classical sculptures that are both beautiful and devoid of life. This transformation is not just physical but also psychological, as the narrator grapples with the reality of being perceived as dead while still very much alive. The mention of "putting on of nakedness" alludes to a biblical or spiritual stripping down to one's essential self, free from societal constructs.

The setting of the Paris morgue, with corpses rotating on a "flat, turning wheel" under a fine mist, introduces a chilling atmosphere that blurs the line between reality and the surreal. This scene is pivotal as it symbolizes the cyclical nature of life and death, and the inescapability of one's past actions, much like the recurring guilt in *Therese Raquin*.

The interactions among the actors playing corpses reveal their need for connection and humanity, even in the role of death. The joke about paradise, referencing the thief crucified beside Jesus, underscores the theme of redemption and forgiveness, which is ironic and poignant given their roles as lifeless bodies.

The recurring nightmare that concludes the poem heightens the sense of horror and the blurring of reality and fiction. The narrator's repeated awakening to find herself not dead, juxtaposed with the drowned husband of Therese Raquin sitting at the foot of her bed, captures the haunting guilt and paranoia similar to that experienced by the characters in Zola's novel. This nightmare serves as a metaphor for the inescapable consequences of one's actions, a theme central to both the poem and the novel.

Overall, "Sanctuary" by Norman Dubie is a complex exploration of the roles individuals play, both in life and in art, and how these roles can infiltrate and influence one's identity and perception of reality. The poem is a rich tapestry of psychological depth, existential dread, and the artistic process, all woven together under the guise of a film production that mirrors the darker aspects of human nature.

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