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‘All Hallows’ Eve’ by Tanning explores domestic abuse, depicting a woman’s struggle against her “werewolf” husband. Be perfect, make it otherwise. Yesterday is torn in shreds. Lightning’s thousand sulfur eyes. Rip apart the breathing beds. Emotion: Fear. Topics: Abuse, Halloween. Home » Dorothea Tanning Poems.
Tanning’s poems have been described as “collages, softly surreal, delicately personal” by Louis McKee of Library Journal.Tanning was associated with surrealism early in her career; she was married to the artist Max Ernst and was acquainted with Man Ray, George Balanchine, Truman Capote, Virgil Thompson, and Igor Stravinsky.
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All Hallows’ Eve. By Dorothea Tanning. Be perfect, make it otherwise. Yesterday is torn in shreds. Lightning’s thousand sulfur eyes. Rip apart the breathing beds. Hear bones crack and pulverize. Doom creeps in on rubber treads. Countless overwrought housewives,
- Summary of All Hallows’ Eve
- Structure of All Hallows’ Eve
- Poetic Techniques in All Hallows’ Eve
- Analysis of All Hallows’ Eve
The poem takes the reader through a series of violent images that depict an abusive relationship between a male/female newlywed couple. Although the narrative is not clearly defined, there are certain poignant moments that inform the reader of the dynamic between the two. The woman does what she can to control her husband’s anger. She tries to make...
‘All Hallows’ Eve by Dorothea Tanning is a fourteen-line poem that conforms to the pattern of a Shakespearean sonnet. It is made up of three quatrains, or sets of four lines, and one concluding couplet, or set of two rhyming lines. The poem follows a consistent rhyme scheme that conforms to the pattern of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. But, unlike Shakespearea...
Tanning makes use of several poetic techniques in ‘All Hallows’ Eve.’ These include but are not limited to alliteration, enjambment, and caesura. The latter happens when a line is split in half, sometimes with punctuation, sometimes not. The use of punctuation in these moments creates a very intentional pause in the text. A reader should consider h...
Lines 1-4
In the first quatrain of ‘All Hallow’s Eve,’ the speaker begins by starting a series of images focused around the period of “all hallows’ eve” or Halloween. With just the title, a reader is likely to have a certain mood or atmospherein mind when they approach these lines. Tanning does not disappoint. By the second line, she uses words like “shreds” to create a terrifying and violent image of the day and what else is to come. She speaks of “Yesterday,” the past when things were safer, as being...
Lines 5-8
In the second quatrain of ‘All Hallows’ Eve,’ more violence follows. Whatever force or forces are out on “all hallows’ eve” are murderous and horrifying. There are bones that crack and are pulverized into dust. “Doom,” she continues, “creeps in on rubber treads”. This is a strange and haunting line that will lead a reader to several different interpretations. But, it is at this point that a reader should realize that there is more to this poem that initially meets the eye. It is not just abou...
Lines 9-14
In the last section of ‘All Hallows’ Eve,’ the speaker brings in more images that are related to the mundanity of day to day life and a woman’s efforts to please her husband. She is seeking out some way to quell his anger. She tries to “Sit tight, be perfect”. These things are necessary if she doesn’t want to meet the “werewolf” the man to whom she is married. The word “tranquilize” realties back to this image of the wolf as an animal that needs to be controlled.
- Female
- October 9, 1995
- Poetry Analyst And Editor
coming to that, whatever that was it might. come to before. not being prevented—and as if such a thing. were for him. the unthinkable, and would prevail, if it. came to that. And while listening more closely now to. what he said, I realized if no one paid him heed, it would.
The show explored echoes of myths and legends in Tanning’s work through poetry, with examples of poems that were especially meaningful to the artist. J. D. McClatchy wrote a tribute to Dorothea Tanning for the show and recorded the poems included in the gallery.
The show explored echoes of myths and legends in Tanning’s work through poetry, with examples of poems that were especially meaningful to the artist. J. D. McClatchy wrote a tribute to Dorothea Tanning for the show and recorded the poems included in the gallery. View a gallery of images here and listen to his reading of the full poem below ...
