Todays seminar consisted of our first round of poetry recitations. While listening to my fellow classmate’s poems, I was amazed to hear how different they really are. From homosexuality to coping with death, these poems had a plethora of meanings. I was shocked to find out that the poem I recited, “Love and Marilyn Monroe (after Spillane)” by Delmore Shwartz, happened to be the most talked about poem.

Ultimately, the class got into a discussion of how Marilyn Monroe, though known for her provocative image, was not actually promiscuous. The class seemed to conclude that Marilyn Monroe was more than simply a sex symbol. This is what I stated to be personified by the poem. The poem focused on the woman behind this overly sexual character. Professor Kahan stated that even though Marilyn Monroe had this image of a sinner (by the fifties standards) she did in fact try to live a “normal” life. Attempting to have children during both of her marriages.

When discussing this poem, I thought about how celebrities use certain characteristics to create their signature style. For example, who is Lady Gaga with out her outlandish outfits? And where would Katy Perry be had she not expressed her feelings about kissing a girl? These otherwise taboo forms of dress and behavior would probably label these women as “sinners.” In my opinion, these women are not truly these characters they portray. Instead, I think that they are brilliant business women. How? Simply for taking advantage of the human interest in all things that are not the norm.