Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Thomson William Gunn's poem "Beautician" poignantly explores themes of care, dignity, and the interplay between professional skill and personal tenderness in the face of death. Through the narrative of a beautician tending to her deceased friend, Gunn offers a meditation on the ways we seek to honor and remember those we love, even in their final moments.

The poem opens with the beautician visiting the morgue to see her friend's body. Her immediate reaction is one of emotional pain, having had her cry. This sets the stage for the intimate and respectful act she is about to perform. Gunn's description of the body "dumped there all awry" indicates a lack of care by those who handled it previously, contrasting sharply with the beautician's approach. This disrespectful treatment highlights the dehumanization that can occur in institutional settings, emphasizing the beautician's role as a restorer of dignity.

In her profession, the beautician is familiar with the dead, yet the emotional connection to her friend brings a deeper layer to her work. Gunn uses the phrase "she gave her task a concentrated mind," suggesting a merging of professional focus and personal devotion. Her silence as she works underscores the solemnity and reverence she brings to the task. The beautician's dedication to making her friend's hair beautiful is portrayed not just as a professional duty but as an act of love and respect.

The poem reaches a contemplative depth as the beautician finds "some thin satisfaction" in her work. This satisfaction is twofold: she is using her skills to honor her friend, and she is creating a form of beauty that serves as an epitaph. The notion of shaping an epitaph through her actions implies that her work is a tribute, a final act of care that speaks to the life and dignity of the deceased.

Gunn's depiction of the beautician's task as shaping an epitaph is particularly evocative. It suggests that the act of beautifying the dead is a way of writing a final, silent poem about their life, one that conveys respect, love, and remembrance. This act of care transforms the cold, clinical setting of the morgue into a space of personal connection and human dignity.

"Beautician" ultimately reflects on the profound ways in which we honor our loved ones in death, using the skills and tenderness we possess. Gunn's portrayal of the beautician highlights the intersection of professional expertise and personal affection, illustrating how the mundane act of styling hair becomes a sacred ritual. The poem serves as a reminder that, even in death, acts of care and respect can affirm the humanity and worth of those we have lost. Through the beautician's loving work, Gunn reveals the quiet, powerful ways we seek to give dignity and beauty to the lives of our loved ones, even as they pass into memory.

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