Revision Notes in Plath's Poetry

Themes in Plath’s poetry Motherhood: Positive portrayal of motherhood – You’re/Morning Song (although this poem does present a somewhat ambiguous perspective, lots of metaphors and similes used to describe babies . Protectiveness – Nick and the Candlestick/ Mary’s Song/Morning Song/By Candlelight Uncertainty – In the Manor Garden (apprehension about ‘difficult borning’), Maudlin( a poem about periods! And how fertility brings physical discomfort) Barrenness / infertility – Moon and the yew tree/Munich Mannequins/spinster Miscarriage – Tulips Negative portrayal of motherhood – Tulips/Lesbos/Edge/Ariel – extended metaphor of children as ‘hooks’ is present in these poems, think about the image of vampires here and the effect these two combined have on Plath. The dead children in Edge is v.creepy and in Ariel Plath’s speaker is running from a child’s cry Wife/domesticity: Lesbos/Babysitting/Mary’s Song/The Bee Meeting/A Birthday Present/Daddy – all pretty mush negative unless you consider the positive portrayal of motherhood/an appearance Parents: Negative portrayal of the impact of the parents Moon = mother and the statues esp. Virgin Mary. in Mary’s song and Moon and the Yew Tee Father – Little Fugue/Finistierre/Daddy/Full Fathom Five/Suicide off Egg Rock/ Life and Death – Think about symbolism of colours/flowers and the seasons in just about every poem she has written! Edge/Ariel/tulips/the poppy poems/the stones/death & co/cut/full fathom five/suicide off egg rock/daddy/Mary’s song – the list is pretty much exhaustive. Consider imagery linked with the holocaust/persecution etc as well Madness/healing: (a desire for rebirth etc) The Stones/Tulips/edge/resolve/cut/miss drake/edge/Ariel Nature Moon and Yew tree/elm/among the narcissi/tulips/poppy poems/sheep in fog/winter trees/the bee meeting/suicide off egg rock

Look at how she sees nature as destructive. How it’s warped in her mind Seascapes are important here – think about Otto Plath’s fate No comfort/answers in the natural world The self : (her perception of herself) The Bee meeting/Facelift/Mirror/The Munich mannequins/the stones//maudlin/tulips/lesbos/a birthday present/Ariel/edge… Think about existential narcissism/why she’s got issues with her appearance/the rivalry for Ted Hughes/ the impact of her parents on her/battling for possession of herself-who she is. Also consider her rejection of the natural and materialistic world and the healing world too. Myths/Imagery/allusions Vampirism Religious allusion – ascension/virgin Mary /fish/statues/graveyards Godiva – in Ariel Greek myths – Cleopatra, medusa/Electra(the Electra complex in Daddy)atlas Moon Also Shakespeare – full fathom five/Ariel Flowers Threatening personification – tulips/poppy poems Sometimes benign – threatening but ultimately harmless – among the narcissi Roses – the mind/sanity – the stones/also maternal affection in morning song Link to colour red and white. Flowers a symbol of life Colour Red: Life/fertility/pain/vulnerability – usually a positive colour can also symbolise rebirth Ruby - nick in Nick and the Candlestick – precious Tulips/poppies – threatening – life/vitality, but comforting Blood – Maudlin and Cut – thrilled by sign of own vitality In Ariel the red sun of the morning links to rebirth Black – death and foreboding, masculine colour associated with the yew tree and Germans, also symbolises mental and physical torture. White Symbol of purity and innocence, virginity and sacrifice Also represents death/perfection (see edge) Ice/wintry references usually link to death/sterility/barrenness/numbness/stasis – an inability to move physically or emotionally, Blue Motherhood- usually positive but is also the colour of the sea which has negative connotations in Plath’s poems, it can convey fragility and pain and

can be seen as threatening – see Among the narcissi/an appearance/the sea poems etc Green – fertility and endurance, some sense of protection and hope, but is a weak not often referred to colour – see the green stars in Nick and the Candlestick