To start off let’s talk about how this poem relates back to religion. You’ll see from the very first line “That does not keep me from having a terrible need of-shall …show more content…
Think about it, they were both artists in a different sense of the word, and they both committed suicide in a very similar way. Sexton really related back to Van Gogh and where we would just see a painting of a village and a night sky. She saw so much more. Sexton had a very troubled life and she took a whole new meaning to the painting “The Starry Night.” Van Gogh painted this painting to reflect back on to what he felt, but he never stated exactly what it was. Sexton interpreted it into her own words to reflect back onto this beautiful poem. We know from the first line that she includes “Shall I say the word-religion.” (1)And “The old unseen serpent” (10) that they both have a prestigious meaning of the word religion. Sexton just had a more dark meaning, while Van Gogh might have had a more heavenly meaning behind it.
Sexton really takes a much darker twist to “The Starry Night” both named after a painting and a poem. We don’t know much of why Van Gogh painted the oil painting of The Starry night, Or the real reason behind the painting. But the poem by Anne Sexton really puts a whole new twist on the simple painting that we’ve seen so many times in our lifetime. She boldly put into her own words the way the painting made her feel. Though Van Gogh might not agree with how she interpreted his painting, you never know, Sexton might of actual interpreted it right all