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A.M.D.G. Edwin Morgan's Celebrated Poem “The Death of Marilyn Monroe” Provokes in the Reader a Shocked Response at The

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A.M.D.G. Edwin Morgan's Celebrated Poem “The Death of Marilyn Monroe” Provokes in the Reader a Shocked Response at The A.M.D.G. Edwin Morgan’s celebrated poem “The Death of Marilyn Monroe” provokes in the reader a shocked response at the way in which the media controlled, and the way in which the public destroyed her life. The writer’s style, word choice and imagery effectively provoke this emotion in the reader. The unique style of Edwin Morgan in this poem provokes a shocked response by showing the extent of media control in her life. The reportage style of the piece reflects the controlling media and the interest and ambiguity surrounding her death. The snap-shot click of cameras is mirrored in the poem’s opening and ending where there are a series of accusative questions: “What innocence? Whose guilt? What eyes? Whose breast?” These questions embody the haze of blame surrounding her death and the accusative tone immediately shocks the reader because of the inferred ferocity of the media. The repetition in the poem also mirrors this media frenzy and again highlights the question of blame. “Di Maggio! Los Angeles! Miller! Los Angeles! America!” The exclamation marks suggest the shouting of a news vendor and the accusative style shocks the reader as we are made to realise that we too are responsible for the death of Marilyn Monroe. The caesuras in lines 5, 7 and 10 are dramatic pauses which invite the reader to consider the extent to which the media and public controlled Monroe’s life. The rhythm and rhyme of the poem are disjointed and thus represent the hectic schedule and controlled life of Monroe, as organised by “inflexible directors”. The word choice of the poem is effective in shocking the reader by the extent of control others had on her life. The word choice of “breast” has a threefold meaning; firstly it represents the “child of America” image she was given and mother-daughter relationship with America. Secondly it represents the way in which Hollywood nurtured the young Monroe and made her the star she became. Thirdly, it represents her rise to fame as a sex symbol. The word choice of “admirers” affirms this status as it suggests that she was held up on a plinth for all to admire. Although she had risen to icon status, Marilyn was soon to be cast aside by the American public who claimed no responsibility for her death: “that all arms should have faded” The word “faded” is connotative of the way in which the guilt of the public was to slowly eat away over the years. The reader is shocked by the phrase “communication is a “can’tword” as it refers to the loneliness of Monroe and the poignancy of the fact that her arm was found draped over the bedside telephone. There is a play on words in the phrase “we feel it, America” which alludes to the speech of President Kennedy, a man Marilyn was rumoured to have had an affair with. The word choice of “Method” suggests that Monroe’s death was a spectacle, and possibly orchestrated to cover her murder. It also alludes to the style of acting that she studied from Strasberg but was never allowed to use as a result of the “inflexible directors”. Imagery in the poem shocks the reader because it becomes clear the extent to which Hollywood, the media and the public preyed on Monroe, and destroyed her life. The personification of “Death” as the only friend Monroe could turn to distresses the reader as we realise the depths of “pain and suffering” she was forced to undergo at the hands of the world: “she called for Him to strengthen her with what could only dissolve her”. “Uncertainty” is also personified in the poem as a voyeur preying on the suffering of Monroe. This technique helped me to understand that “uncertainty” represented the public, because the public treated Monroe’s life as their possession to call upon and “watch” anytime they wanted. This voyeuristic control destroyed Monroe and eventually led to her death from a drugs overdose in 1962. The childlike imagery of “child of America” shocks the reader and also fills us with rage because the public so whimsically destroyed their “child” and left her for dead. This is also reflected in the phrase “crumpled orphan”. The imagery contained in “the slow white hearse” reflects the media frenzy and Hollywood control over her death as well as her life. The “white hearse” is repeated at the beginning and end, thus creating synthesis and reminding the reader of the shocking truth that we caused her death. In conclusion, Edwin Morgan’s celebrated poem “The Death of Marilyn Monroe” shocks the reader because we are presented with the unpleasant fact that not only were the media and Hollywood to blame for the death of Marilyn Monroe, we, the public, are also to blame. We are left with an indelible sense of pity for Monroe because her life was controlled to the extent of causing her death; she was created for and destroyed by the American Dream. .
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