Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Anne Sexton's poem "The Fury of Sundays" captures the oppressive, almost surreal experience of a hot summer Sunday, blending images of mundane activities with a sense of existential reflection. Through a combination of vivid, sensory details and symbolic imagery, Sexton explores the tension between the suffocating routine of daily life and the fleeting moments of release and escape.

The poem opens with the word "Moist, moist," immediately evoking the stifling heat of the day, which seems to seep into every crevice, "leaking through the hinges." The imagery of the sun "baking the roof like a pie" further emphasizes the intensity of the heat, turning the house into an oven, where the inhabitants— "I and thou and she"—are trapped in a cycle of eating, working, and sweating. This repetition of daily activities under the oppressive sun creates a sense of monotony, as if the heat has sapped all energy and vitality, leaving only a drone-like existence.

Sexton’s comparison of the sun to various red objects— "the cop car siren," "the algebra marks," "two electric eyeballs"—adds a layer of anxiety and discomfort. These similes connect the sun with authority, judgment, and surveillance, suggesting that the heat is not just a physical presence but also a psychological one, an all-seeing force that exacerbates the tension and frustration of the day.

The poem then shifts to a more whimsical tone with the image of "She wanting to take a bath in jello," introducing a desire for something absurd and playful as a means of escape from the oppressive reality. This moment of whimsy contrasts with the more adult indulgences of "You and me sipping vodka and soda," where even the ice cubes are melting "like the Virgin Mary," a simile that imbues the mundane act of drinking with a sense of sacrilege or loss of purity. The melting ice symbolizes the gradual dissolution of whatever sanctity or relief might have been found in the drink.

The poem continues with descriptions of typical Sunday chores— "cutting the lawn, fixing the machines"—performed under the relentless heat, leading to more vodka, more soda, and ultimately, a retreat to the pond. The pond becomes a place of temporary forgiveness, a body of water that "suck[s] out the throb," offering a momentary respite from the physical and emotional strain of the day. However, this relief comes at a cost, as the speaker describes their bodies as "trash" left behind on the shore, suggesting a disconnection from the self and a surrender to the elements.

In the pond, the trio— "I and thou and she"—transforms, swimming "like minnows," losing their "queens and kings," their "heels and tongues." These losses symbolize the shedding of societal roles, expectations, and even language, as they become fully immersed in the cool, liberating water. The transformation into minnows, small and insignificant creatures, highlights the theme of escape and the desire to be free from the burdens of identity and responsibility.

The poem’s conclusion reflects on the innocence and naiveté of youth: "cool, cool, all day that Sunday in July / when we were young and did not look / into the abyss, / that God spot." Here, Sexton juxtaposes the carefree nature of their Sunday swim with the darker, unspoken reality—the "abyss" or "God spot"—that they have yet to confront. This "God spot" could represent the deeper existential questions or the looming awareness of mortality, which they are able to ignore, at least temporarily, in their youthful indulgence.

"The Fury of Sundays" is a richly layered poem that captures the oppressive heat and monotony of a summer Sunday while exploring themes of escape, transformation, and the tension between the mundane and the profound. Anne Sexton’s use of sensory imagery and symbolic language invites the reader to reflect on the ways in which we cope with the routine and the weight of existence, finding moments of relief and release, even as we avoid confronting the deeper truths that lie beneath the surface. The poem is a testament to the complexity of human experience, where the trivial and the significant are inextricably intertwined.

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