Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's "The Death of the Fathers: 1. Oysters" offers a poignant reflection on a moment of transformation, where the speaker experiences the symbolic death of her childhood and the emergence of her adult self. This transition is rendered through the act of eating oysters, a ritualistic event that becomes a metaphor for maturity and the complexities that accompany it.

The poem begins with the speaker recounting the shared experience of eating oysters, a food that carries with it the connotations of both luxury and sensuality. The oysters, described as "sweet blue babies," evoke a sense of innocence and vulnerability. The image of "twelve eyes looked up at me" adds a layer of personification, suggesting that these oysters, though food, are imbued with life, and by consuming them, the speaker is partaking in something both vital and slightly disquieting.

The reference to "Father" laughing and drinking his martini introduces a generational dynamic. The father's casual consumption of alcohol, "clear as tears," contrasts with the speaker's initial hesitance to eat the oysters, a food that symbolizes an initiation into the adult world. The martini, associated with sophistication and adulthood, serves as a parallel to the oysters, both of which the father consumes with ease. The speaker, on the other hand, is initially "afraid to eat this father-food," signaling her awareness of the transition she is about to undergo.

As the poem progresses, the speaker overcomes her fear and consumes the oysters, describing them as a "soft medicine / that came from the sea into my mouth, / moist and plump." The act of swallowing the oyster, with its rich, almost overwhelming texture, becomes a rite of passage. It is "soft medicine," suggesting both the healing and the transformative power of this experience. The description of the oyster going down "like a large pudding" emphasizes its richness and the sensuality of the act, marking a departure from the simpler, more innocent pleasures of childhood.

The speaker's gradual comfort with eating the oysters is reflected in the lines, "Then I ate one o'clock and two o'clock. / Then I laughed and then we laughed." The mention of time—eating "one o'clock and two o'clock"—suggests the passage of moments, with each oyster marking a step further into adulthood. The shared laughter with the father signifies a bonding over this experience, but it also underscores the irreversible nature of the transition the speaker is undergoing.

The poem reaches its climax with the realization of "a death, / the death of childhood." The setting of the Union Oyster House, a real location known for its history and tradition, grounds this moment in a specific time and place, making the transition all the more concrete. The act of eating oysters, a food often associated with adulthood, sophistication, and even sexuality, becomes the catalyst for this symbolic death. The speaker acknowledges that "the child was defeated. / The woman won."

In these final lines, Sexton captures the bittersweet nature of growing up. The "death of childhood" is not mourned in the traditional sense but is rather acknowledged as a necessary defeat, allowing the "woman" to emerge victorious. This victory, however, is tinged with a sense of loss—the loss of innocence, simplicity, and the carefree existence that childhood represents.

"The Death of the Fathers: 1. Oysters" is a powerful exploration of a pivotal moment in the speaker's life. Through the act of eating oysters, Sexton conveys the complexities of maturation—the mixture of fear, excitement, and the irrevocable change that comes with stepping into the adult world. The poem encapsulates the tension between holding on to the past and embracing the future, ultimately celebrating the speaker's transition while acknowledging the inevitable losses that accompany it.

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