Narrator, “A Letter”
In "A Letter" by Anthony Hecht, the narrator is an unnamed man who is in the throes of grief following the departure of his wife. It is evident from the tone of the poem, which takes the form of a letter, that the wife has not passed away but has rather made a conscious decision to leave her husband. The narrator channels his sorrow and despair into the poem, expressing his continued sense of loss, but also the necessity of carrying on for the sake of their children.
Narrator’s Wife, “A Letter”
The poem's focus is on the narrator's grief and sorrow following his wife's departure, and although she is never explicitly named or described, her presence is felt throughout the poem. The reader learns very little about the wife, other than that she left the narrator and their two sons unexpectedly and has not returned. Her departure has shattered the narrator, and he pours his emotions into the letter that takes the form of the poem. The reader is left to imagine what might have motivated her departure, and the absence of this information only adds to the poignancy of the narrator's grief.
Narrator’s Eldest Son, “A Letter”
Although the narrator of the poem has two sons, only the eldest is explicitly mentioned in the text. He comes into the picture when he discovers his mother's thrush among his toys and, in a poignant moment, asks his father about her whereabouts. This question only adds to the father's pain and confusion, as he has no answer to give his son. Despite his minor role, the son's presence in the poem serves as a powerful reminder of the family's past and hints at the passage of time since the mother's departure.
Narrator’s Youngest Son, “A Letter”
In the poem, the narrator briefly mentions "my boys," referring to his two sons, but they do not play a significant role in the narrative. The younger of the two is likely too young to remember his mother, and the poem does not provide any details about his relationship with his father or what, if anything, he remembers about his mother. The lack of information about the narrator's sons adds to the overall sense of uncertainty and loss that permeates the poem.
Narrator, “Lot’s Wife”
In this short poem, the only character that makes an appearance is the narrator—who is presumably representative of author Anthony Hecht, himself. This narrator is reflecting upon his childhood and the sense of intense wonder he found from simple items and creatures—such as a walnut and a spider spinning a web. The narrator is looking back upon his childhood with a new perspective, which offers him a renewed sense of wonderment and respect for the beauty of simple things.
Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France
Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, is a central character in Anthony Hecht's poem "The Transparent Man." The poem explores the theme of revolution and its consequences on those in power. Hecht presents a haunting portrayal of the Queen, who is depicted as a prisoner in her own palace, surrounded by whispers and conspiracies. Through Hecht's masterful portrayal, the reader gains a sense of the isolation and vulnerability that Marie Antoinette must have felt as she faced the growing unrest of the French Revolution. The poem offers a poignant meditation on power, its fragility, and the human toll it exacts.
