"Her Kind" is a poem written by Anne Sexton, published in her collection "To Bedlam and Part Way Back" in 1960. The poem speaks to the experience of womanhood, and the ways in which society has traditionally sought to control and define women's roles and identities.
In the opening lines, Sexton writes, "I have gone out, a possessed witch, / haunting the black air, braver at night; / dreaming evil, I have done my hitch / over the plain houses, light by light." This imagery of the witch is significant, as it suggests the taboo and outsider status that has often been associated with women who defy societal expectations or norms. The speaker in the poem is presented as a kind of rebel, breaking free from the constraints of conventional femininity and venturing out into the darkness.
Throughout the poem, Sexton employs a number of symbols and metaphors that speak to the experience of womanhood and the ways in which women have been marginalized and oppressed. The speaker speaks of "the red / riding hood of the fairytale," suggesting that women have long been depicted as passive and vulnerable figures, in need of protection from the dangers of the world. She also refers to "the glass of water" and "the chalice," both of which are symbols of purity and innocence, and which suggest the ways in which women have been defined by their virtue and sexual purity.
Sexton also writes about the violence that women have experienced at the hands of men, with lines such as "I have been her kind. / I have found the warm caves in the woods, / filled them with skillets, carvings, shelves, / closets, silks, innumerable goods; / fixed the suppers for the worms and the elves: / whining, rearranging the disaligned. / A woman like that is misunderstood." These lines speak to the domestic and caretaking roles that have often been assigned to women, and the ways in which women's labor and contributions have often gone unrecognized and unvalued. The reference to the "worms and the elves" also suggests the way in which women have been infantilized and treated as otherworldly or magical beings, rather than being seen as fully human.
In the final stanza, Sexton writes, "I have ridden in your cart, driver, / waved my nude arms at villages going by, / learning the last bright routes, survivor / where your flames still bite my thigh / and my ribs crack where your wheels wind." This imagery suggests the ways in which women have often been objectified and used by men, and the violence and trauma that they have endured as a result. The reference to the flames and the cracking ribs speaks to the physical and emotional pain that women have suffered, and the resilience and strength they have had to develop in order to survive.
In conclusion, "Her Kind" is a powerful and poignant poem that speaks to the experience of womanhood and the ways in which women have been marginalized and oppressed throughout history. Sexton's use of imagery and metaphor effectively illustrates the themes of rebellion, objectification, and resilience that are central to the poem.
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