Sexton calls her poem, “Venus and the
Ark”, a spoof because it is not only a recreation (of sorts) of the
Old Testament story, Noah's Ark, but it is also very critical of
human nature. The main difference between Sexton's poem and Noah's
Ark is that instead of life being destroyed by one man (God),
humanity destroys it self through nuclear war. Even when the two
Doctors send back news that Venus can support life, a discovery that
should have been one of the most important in history, the world is
too caught up with war and violence that they completely disregard
this monumental announcement and proceed to kill themselves. Sexton
has a very negative view on human behavior when she writes that
humanity could not put aside it's differences and destroyed itself.
It prompts the disconcerting question as to whether or not we would
really destroy life through nuclear warfare.
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