Gretel in Darkness

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1975

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Summary

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Persona

Gretel’s persona is the main voice. Poets use this tactic to imagine the psychological and emotional perspective of another person—whether real or fictitious. In this case, using Gretel offers an interesting tension for Glück to write from: that of surviving and coping. Because the original tale takes place in a fantastical world with witches, candy houses, and mythical possibilities, it allows Glück to contrast those elements with the real-world consequences of death and family disruption. Rather than making this a poem about her own direct experience with death, she uses the point of view of a young girl who is universally known to have escaped danger. Within the poem, Glück complicates what it means to be a survivor—even in the mythical realm of a children’s fairy tale.

Assonance and Consonance

Glück utilizes a subtle sense of rhyme and rhythm through assonance (similar sounding vowels) and consonance (similar sounding consonants). In doing so, the poem creates an organic flow of musicality, which helps to soften the darker and deeper elements at the forefront of the poem. An example of this linguistic melody follows: “Now, far from women's arms / and memory of women [...] My father bars the door, bars harm / from this house” (Lines 7-12, bold added). The repetition and playful re-use of certain sounds like the “/f/” in “far” and “from” or the “/m/” in “women’s” and “arms” aren’t exactly noticeable rhymes, but when paired in succession, they create an undeniable rhythm and tune. The contrast of this mellifluous sound in the orality of the poem seems to suit the children’s fairy tale, while the mature content suggests that there is more to this story than a sweet girl’s adventure.