The Subversion of Fairy Tale Tropes in Anne Sexton’s Cinderella

Anne Sexton's poem "Cinderella," from her 1971 collection Transformations, flips the classic fairy tale on its head with a dark and funny twist. Known for her open and personal style, Sexton fills this well-known story with irony and realism. This mix pokes at the simple morals of the original tale. What’s she really doing? Well, she's making us think twice about fairy tales and the social norms they push. In this essay, I'll dive into themes of disillusionment, pick apart the idea of the American Dream, and see how Sexton messes with traditional gender roles in "Cinderella."

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

Disillusionment

Sexton starts off "Cinderella" with little stories about people going from poor to rich. It's all set up to make us question if happiness is really that simple. These stories are full of irony as Sexton smashes together fantasy and reality. Take this line: "You always read about it: / the plumber with the twelve children / who wins the Irish Sweepstakes. / From toilets to riches." It’s a funny but weird way to say Cinderella's story is just as unlikely as winning the lottery. Right from the start, she makes us wonder if happy endings in these tales are even real or possible.

Critique of the American Dream

The poem also takes a swing at the American Dream — that whole idea where hard work equals success. In Cinderella's case, she goes from being treated like dirt to being a princess because she's good and patient. But Sexton questions this by pointing out how random Cinderella's luck is. The fairy godmother shows up outta nowhere, everything magically changes, and then there's that prince who’s fixated on finding who fits a shoe. It feels like luck more than anything else. So, Sexton's saying success might be less about earning it and more about just getting lucky, which throws shade on that whole merit-based American Dream thing.

Subversion of Traditional Gender Roles

Sexton also plays around with gender roles here. Usually, Cinderella is all about waiting for some prince to save her — super passive stuff. But in Sexton's version? There's a vibe of agency mixed with cynicism. The story wraps up with Cinderella and the prince supposedly living "happily ever after," but not really: "like two dolls in a museum case." That picture of them as dolls? It screams trapped! It's like they're stuck in these roles society sets up — totally lifeless. By giving us this unsettling image, Sexton pushes us to think about what those roles mean and how fake fairy-tale endings can be.

Conclusion

Anne Sexton's take on "Cinderella" tears apart a classic fairy tale using themes like disillusionment, critiquing the American Dream, and shaking up traditional gender roles. Through irony and realism, she digs into what's wrong with these stories and societal norms they keep pushing onto us. She gives us a fresh angle on an old tale while making us question what we believe about success, happiness, and gender roles. With "Cinderella," Sexton shows just how powerful poetry can be when it comes to challenging cultural myths — making her work a memorable piece of modern literature.

References

• Sexton, A., & McClatchy, J.D. (Ed.). (2000). The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• Kumin, M., & Sexton, L.C.K.M.A.B.F.M.K.S.A.R.P.P.A.L.T.S.D.M.W.T.O.H.I.T.O.T.U.M.B.E.W.D.A.S.C.O.W.B.I.L.F.G.F.H.T.E.P.P.R.C.G.I.N.C.A.R.R.S.A.J.B.R.E.V.(1988). Anne Sexton: A Self-Portrait in Letters. Mariner Books.
• Zinsser, W.K., & Kunitz S.J.(2016).A Poet's Prose: Anne Sexton's Works. New York Review Books Classics.
• Bogan L.,(1979).The Influence of Confessional Poetry: An Analysis of Anne Sexton's Major Themes. Modern Critical Views Series.
• Carlson P.(1997).The Hidden Messages in Fairy Tales: A Study on 'Transformations'. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.