The Deodand by Anthony Hecht
"The Deodand" by Anthony Hecht is a poetic exploration that reflects the poet's enduring interest in themes of martyrdom and sacrifice, particularly in the context of visual art. The work employs a sestina structure to navigate the contrasting images of femininity as depicted in the works of artists like Eugène Delacroix and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, where subjects embody a sense of beauty and allure. In stark contrast, the poem shifts to portray a young French legionnaire who, stripped of his agency, is forced into a position of vulnerability by donning women’s clothing and begging for sustenance. This juxtaposition highlights the complexities of human experience, illustrating both the allure of beauty and the harsh realities of degradation. Hecht's use of ekphrasis—poetry that vividly describes visual art—serves to deepen the reader's engagement with these themes. The poem invites reflection on the multifaceted nature of sacrifice, both in art and in life's brutal realities, ultimately presenting a rich tapestry of contrasting human experiences. Through its intricate imagery and emotional depth, "The Deodand" stands as a profound commentary on the interplay between beauty, suffering, and identity.
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The Deodand by Anthony Hecht
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1980 (collected in Collected Earlier Poems, 1990)
Type of work: Poem
The Work
“The Deodand” furthers what Hecht once confirmed as a strange fascination with stories and paintings of Christian martyrdom, which, he noted, could be understood in two different ways. The paradox of comprehending and expressing sacrifice, combined with ekphrasis (poetry concerned with highly visual scenes) and historical narrative, is the featured function of “The Deodand.” The first half of the sestina depicts the “swooning lubricities and lassitudes” of the subjects of a Eugène Delacroix or Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres painting—who pose as femmesdelanuit (ladies of the night), or harem girls—starkly contrasted with the sestina’s latter half of a young French legionnaire who is forced to dress in the clothes of a woman and made to beg for food. The juxtaposition is classic, signature Hecht, who deftly reconciles and coalesces the opposing forces and acts of [in]humanity.
Bibliography
German, Norman. Anthony Hecht. New York: Peter Lang, 1989.
Lea, Sydney, ed. The Burdens of Formality: Essays on the Poetry of Anthony Hecht. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1989.
Hoffman, Daniel. The Harvard Guide to Contemporary AmericanWriting. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1979.
McClatchy, J. D. White Paper: On Contemporary Poetry. New York: Columbia University Press, 1989.
Perkins, David. A History of Modern Poetry: Modernism and After. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1987.
Spiegelman, William. The Didactic Muse: Scenes of Instruction in Contemporary American Poetry. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1989.