The Subversion of Fairy Tale Tropes in Anne Sexton's "Cinderella"

Introduction

Anne Sexton's poem "Cinderella," a part of her 1971 collection Transformations, offers a darkly satirical take on the classic fairy tale. Sexton, known for her confessional style of poetry, imbues the familiar story with a sense of irony and realism that challenges the tropes and moral simplicity of the original. By doing so, she questions the very foundations of fairy tales and the societal norms they perpetuate. This essay explores the themes of disillusionment, the critique of the American Dream, and the subversion of traditional gender roles in Sexton's "Cinderella."

Body Paragraph 1: Disillusionment

Sexton's "Cinderella" begins with a series of vignettes that depict various "rags-to-riches" stories, setting the stage for a critique of the idealized notion of success and happiness. These stories are laden with irony, as Sexton juxtaposes the fantastical elements of the fairy tale with harsh realities. For instance, Sexton writes, "You always read about it: / the plumber with the twelve children / who wins the Irish Sweepstakes. / From toilets to riches." This opening serves to highlight the absurdity of the Cinderella story by comparing it to improbable scenarios that, while technically possible, are highly unlikely. By doing so, Sexton sets the reader up for a sense of disillusionment, questioning the authenticity and attainability of such fairy-tale endings.

Body Paragraph 2: Critique of the American Dream

The poem's critique extends to the notion of the American Dream, a pervasive cultural narrative that promises success and happiness through hard work and virtue. Cinderella's transformation from a mistreated stepdaughter to a princess is traditionally seen as a reward for her goodness and patience. However, Sexton undermines this by emphasizing the arbitrary nature of Cinderella's fortune. The deus ex machina of the fairy godmother, the magical transformation, and the prince's obsessive search for the owner of the glass slipper all serve to underscore the randomness of Cinderella's success. Sexton's portrayal suggests that success is not necessarily a result of merit but of chance, thereby critiquing the meritocratic ideals often associated with the American Dream.

Body Paragraph 3: Subversion of Traditional Gender Roles

Another significant theme in Sexton's "Cinderella" is the subversion of traditional gender roles. In the original fairy tale, Cinderella is the epitome of passive femininity, waiting to be rescued by a prince. Sexton, however, infuses her version with a sense of agency and cynicism. The poem ends with a stark depiction of Cinderella and the prince living "happily ever after," but with an underlying sense of entrapment: "Cinderella and the prince / lived, they say, happily ever after, / like two dolls in a museum case." This image of the couple as lifeless dolls trapped in a display case serves as a powerful metaphor for the restrictive nature of traditional gender roles and the superficiality of the fairy-tale ending. By presenting this unsettling image, Sexton challenges the reader to reconsider the implications of these roles and the narratives that reinforce them.

Conclusion

Anne Sexton's "Cinderella" is a masterful deconstruction of a classic fairy tale, rich with themes of disillusionment, a critique of the American Dream, and the subversion of traditional gender roles. Through her use of irony and realism, Sexton exposes the underlying absurdities and societal norms perpetuated by such stories. By doing so, she not only offers a fresh perspective on a familiar tale but also invites readers to question the narratives that shape their understanding of success, happiness, and gender. In "Cinderella," Sexton demonstrates the power of poetry to challenge and redefine cultural myths, making her work a poignant and thought-provoking contribution to contemporary literature.