Sylvia Plaths Poetry Essay - 2870 Words

Sylvia Plaths Poetry Wrapped in gaseous mystique, Sylvia Plath’s poetry has haunted enthusiastic readers since immediately after her death in February, 1963. Like her eyes, her words are sharp, apt tools which brand her message on the brains and hearts of her readers. With each reading, she initiates them forever into the shrouded, vestal clan of her own mind. How is the reader to interpret those singeing, singing words? Her work may be read as a lone monument, with no ties to the world she left behind. But in doing so, the reader merely grazes the surface of her rich poetics. Her poetry is largely autobiographical, particularly Ariel and The Bell Jar, and it is from this frame of mind that the reader interprets the work as a†¦show more content†¦20). In the fifth stanza, she fulfills every child’s dream of the parent’s constant attention by sleeping â€Å"in the cornucopia / of your left ear, out of the wind† (C. 21), safely surrounded by and encompassing his interes t. This is, of course, undercut by the fact that it is not her father’s ear or attention at all, but an inanimate statue symbolizing frightening impermanence. The poem begins and ends with the recognition that what is lost is truly lost. She begins prophetically, â€Å"I shall never get you put together entirely†. Ending nestled in his ear, she seeks solace in the pattern of colored stars, knowing that she must find fulfillment in the world immediately around her, by â€Å"no longer†¦.listen[ing] for the scrape of a keel on the blank stones of landing†(C. 21). Borrowing from German mythology, the poem â€Å"Lorelei† begins to exhibit Plath’s fascination with death (Aird 23). Water imagery, rooted in her childhood on the Atlantic ocean, plays a tremendous role in Plath’s poetry. The last years with her father still alive were spent near water (Steve nson, 9-10). The river in the poem symbolizes both the childhood she wishes to recapture and an escape from the life she now leads. The sirens rise up from the bottom of the river, â€Å"their limbs ponderous / With richness, hair heavier / Than sculpted marble† (Plath C. 22). They sing hypnotically, making silver promises of aShow MoreRelatedPoetry Explication of Sylvia Plath’s â€Å"Mirror†949 Words   |  4 PagesPoetry Explication of Sylvia Plath’s â€Å"Mirror† The first thing one can notice in Sylvia Plath’s poem â€Å"Mirror† (rpt. In Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 9th ed. [Boston: Wadsworth, 2006] 680) is that the speaker in the poem is the mirror and the woman in the poem is Sylvia Plath. As you read through the poem, the lake is relevant because of the famous mythological story of narcissus. He was extremely beautiful and one day while drinking from a lakeRead MoreSylvia Plaths Personality, Perspective, And Poetry1810 Words   |  8 PagesOn October 27, 1932, a dramatic metamorphosis was born into the poetry and literature world. This revolution was Sylvia Plath. Born to Otto Plath, a German immigrant who became a graduated college professor, and one of his students, Aurelia Schober, she would soon become one of the most influential writers of her era. However, early in her life, her father died of diabetes mellitus. This was a common form of diabetes that was e asily treated in that time period, but her father had allowed ignoranceRead More Death, Personal Experience and the Supernatural in Sylvia Plaths Poetry1979 Words   |  8 PagesThese five poems by Sylvia Plath are all connected by the theme of death, self-loathing, and by the presence of historical and magical concepts. Sylvia Plath uses very powerfully charged imagery of controversial and emotional topics in order to best describe her own life. Most of the poems reflect her own personal life, including the events that she has experienced and, more appropriately, the relationships and emotions that she has felt. 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Understanding Sylvia Plaths words require a closer look at both her life and a few of her works. Though critics have described her writing as governed by negative vitalism, her distinct individuality has made her a conversation piece among those familiarRead MoreBiography of Sylvia Plath942 Words   |  4 Pagestwentieth century, Sylvia Plath was highly esteemed by fans and fellow writers alike. Sylvia Plath’s parents, Aurelia Schober and Otto Plath, had met when Aurelia became Otto’s student at Boston University. Otto was a biology professor with an infatuation with bees; he had even published a book titled Bumblebees and their ways. Otto and Aurelia married in January of 1932, and by October of the same year Aurelia gave birth in Jamaica Plain, Mas sachusetts to a daughter, Sylvia. Sylvia spent her childhoodRead MoreSylvia Plath836 Words   |  4 Pages Sylvia Plath is said to be one the most prodigious, yet interesting, confessional poets of her time. She was an extremely vital poet of the post-World War II time period and expressed her feelings towards her father and husband through her poetry. Plath’s mental illness had a dramatic influence upon her work in which she demonstrated the hatred she had for her father specifically. The poem â€Å"Daddy† is an easily applicable example. Within this piece of work, Plath uses direct references to howRead MoreA Reflection in Sylvia Plaths Mirror1013 Words   |  5 PagesA Reflection in Sylvia Plath’s Mirror Amanda L. Wilson Eng:125 Introduction to Literature Professor Lyndsey Lefebvre November 18, 2013 A Reflection in Sylvia Plath’s Mirror Sylvia Plath’s poem Mirror (1963) is evocative, provocative, and expressive. According to Clugston (2010) these are important components of poetry. Sylvia Plath’s first line is a projection of the mirror providing its introduction saying, â€Å"I am silver and exact†(Plath, 1963, line 1). The mirror is the protagonist whoRead MoreSylvia Plath is an American Writer who Writes Confessional Poems about her Life1117 Words   |  4 PagesSylvia Plath is an American writer, commonly known for her poetry works. Her poetry can be categorized as â€Å"confessional poetry†, which are poems about the poet’s personal life. Her two most famous published collections of poems are The Colossus and Other Poemsand Ariel, but it was not until after Plath’s death that The Bell Jarwas published. The Bell Jar is considered a more personal and semi-autobiographical novel. Throughout Sylvia Plath’s lifetime, she suffered mentally since she was a littleRe ad MoreBiography of Sylvia Plath1452 Words   |  6 PagesCritical Analysis Sylvia Plath, a great American author, focuses mostly on actual experiences. Plath’s poetry displays feelings and emotions. Plath had the ability to transform everyday happenings into poems or diary entries. Plath had a passion for poetry and her work was valued. She was inspired by novelists and her own skills. Her poetry was also very important to readers and critics. Sylvia Plath’s work shows change throughout her lifetime, relates to feelings and emotions, and focuses on day