The Descent Of Alette By Alice Notley Summary

The concept of form is a reoccurring theme within Alice Notley’s The Descent of Alette. In addition, form is heavily associated with gender and identity, the loss of form is the loss of identity. The puppet master within this epic is the tyrant, who nevertheless owns form. Ultimately, by owning form, the tyrant is able to exert his male dominance within this patriarchal society in order to degrade women into submission and establish gender roles.

In Notley’s epic poem, The Descent of Alette, form takes many shapes. Whether it’s an object or a person, the over-accentuation of gender in relation to form allows for the

Within the text, a woman is desperate to take her daughter above ground, therefore she offers to pay the tyrant money. In response, another woman informs: “‘he wants your things,’ ‘your small

things,’ ‘continues on saying’ ‘Give him your only’ ‘silk scarf’ ‘your tiny’ ‘turquoise pendant’ ‘your old fashioned watch’ ‘your copper barrette’ ‘your nail polish’” (Notley 5). Here, each of these small objects, more so than not, are generally associated with females. Although the objects are small, the repetition of “your” emphasizes the uniqueness and singleness of the object. The tyrant wants these small “things” because they represent the individuality within a female. By taking these small things from women, he is stripping them of their identity, individuality, uniqueness, and power. Ultimately, the tyrant controls both form and this society; therefore, he is able to exert his power and dominance as a male by taking away parts of female identity in order to enforce gender roles.
Furthermore, in the Tyrant’s patriarchal society, if form is portrayed as a female, their soul and work ethic is overlooked by appearance. Moreover, in a subway car, Alette mentions: “‘Most of these women’ ‘They wear dresses,’ ‘pantyhose,’ ‘grown-up shoes,’ ‘& makeup’” (Notley 19). Again, the over-accentuation of gendered words degrades and objectifies women. Although these women are at work, they are noted for their appearances rather than their tasks that they perform. In addition, form is present but there is a lack of content, their duties are invisible as if they didn’t matter, they: “‘perform actions’ ‘without objects’ ‘without papers,’ ‘without machines’” (Notley 19). Form is given content when the appearance of the working females is noted. Even with the presence of the man in the business suit, there is no acknowledgment of their accomplishments, everything is strictly superficial.
Although the Tyrant may control form, gender determines the form and identity.

Within the text, the mother that has been sought out for, says: “‘Perhaps because he’ ‘didn’t give birth’ ‘He lost his’ ‘connection’ ‘to the beginning’ ‘of the world,’ ‘to freshness” (Notley 91). This lack of nurture and disconnect of man is what initially constructs the patriarchal society. Due to the lack of affection in the primal stages of men, they become more bitter while growing up. Possibly, the lack of male birth gives women an advantage reproductively which could instill insecurities within man. In this portrayed societal cycle, once they become a ruler or war marker is when the degradation of women starts. The mother, that Alette has been searching for, said: “‘Made me dance naked alone’ ‘before all men’ ‘any man’” (Notley 91). After the mother’s head became dismembered from her body, she continued to dance at the will of the males rather than her own free will. The mother’s form is no longer unified, it is broken and divided. Ultimately, the male’s dehumanization and objectification of female form and identity are what caused the dismemberment of the mother’s

head.