Who is Authority from The Complete Poems and what is their importance? The_Complete_Poems English & Literature Authority | The Complete Poems

If one were to identify an antagonist in Sexton's work, it could most easily be found in the collective character of the forces of authority which govern the life of her speaker. While the reader might be inclined to label these forces as primarily patriarchal, it must be noted that mothers play an important, oppressive role as authority figures throughout The Complete Poems. Sexton's speaker is in constant confrontation with parents, therapists, teachers, lovers, religious leaders, and even more abstract authorities like God and Death. It is important to remember that Sexton is writing during a time of intense social turmoil, and that her poems are a product of their time insofar as they constantly question traditional power structures.