Cambridge 11 Poem By Sylvia Plath
FEBRUARY 11, 1963.
It was the coldest, wettest and most miserable winter in decades. Her fever reached extraordinary heights, her sinuses were bruised and blocked, and she was alone. Alone in the midst of motherhood, caring for her two sick children; the oldest was nearly three and the youngest, nearly one. (Jamaica Plain, 1970) Handling material so violent in nature - it was almost like terrorism where you risk the bomb blowing up in your face. She was pushing on the friable edge risking that it just might break. She was locked into a closed world where there was no way out. After mindfully setting out the children’s breakfast, she opened the oven door and placed a folded white cotton cloth on the inside. She gently lowered herself to the floor and carefully laid her head inside the oven. She turned on the cooking gas, but did not move her …show more content…
restless self. She lay there at peace, breathing in and filling her lungs.
Sylvia Plath was reported dead in the winter of February 11th, 1963. (A+E Television Networks, LLC, 1996)
INTRO
Sylvia Plath’s poems all carry a theme of ‘victimisation’. Plath was faced with many emotional struggles during her lifetime and fell victim to her sorrow at the young age of 30. Sylvia’s lifelong depression greatly influenced her writing; she craved sympathy from others and painted herself as a victim in her poems. This is evident in the three works I’ve chosen to analyse: Tulips, Metaphors and I Am Vertical. Plath’s works depict human emotions such as sorrow, pain, and the struggle between responsibility and freedom. These feelings are universal and will continue to resonate with readers decades after her death. Plath’s effective use of poetic devices and her ability to evoke sympathy in her readers will ensure that her works remain relevant for centuries to come.
TULIPS
Tulips, stanzaic in form, tells the story of Plath’s escape from reality during her stay in hospital. Throughout the poem, the red tulips symbolise Plath’s duties; she feels as though she is a victim to her responsibilities and wishes she could surrender to the peace and quiet of her hospital room.
The juxtaposition of the colours red and white is used effectively in this poem to express Plath’s feelings towards the redness of the tulips and the whiteness of the hospital (Dobbs, 2000). She describes the redness of the tulips as hurting her (6th Stanza: 1st Line), and corresponding with her wounds (6th Stanza: 4th Line). They are a dozen red lead sinkers weighing her down (6th Stanza: 7th Line) and a sunken rust- red engine (8th Stanza: 5th Line). She contrasts her evident apprehension and loathing of the vivid red tulips with the quiet (1st Stanza: 2nd Line), peaceful (1st Stanza: 3rd Line), pure (4th Stanza 7th: 7th Line) and freeness (5th Stanza: 3rd Line) of the white, sterile hospital. Such imagery contrasts the harsh red tulips, which represents the living, her responsibilities and both her physiological and physical wounds, with the whiteness of the hospital: viewed as a place of peace and solitude, freeing her from such responsibilities (Suem Livens, 2003).
Another poetic device which helps to convey the meaning of the poem is metaphor.
Plath writes her body is a “thirty year old cargo boat” (4th Stanza: 1st Line) which “sinks out of sight”(4th Stanza: 6th Line) (Dobbs, 2000). She is the cargo boat, loaded past her maximum ability; she falls victim to the exhaustion of her responsibilities and cannot cope with such a load anymore. By surrendering to the sea, she liberates herself from all of her weighty burdens and, through the religious metaphor, “I am a nun now, I have never been so pure” (4th Stanza: 7th Line) – she has transformed from a battered cargo boat to being pure, cleaned of all her responsibilities.
Personification is used to bring the tulips to life: they terrorise her as they become both superior and more powerful than her. Plath personifies the tulips as she states, “they hurt me” (6th Stanza: 1st Line), “The vivid tulips eat my oxygen” (7th Stanza: 7th Line) and “I am now watched” (7th Stanza: 1st Line). The tulips steal her oxygen, hurt her and watch her – this exemplifies her falling victim to her burdens as they symbolically suffocate her and cause her
pain.
Plath’s fear and distress towards the tulips is shown through the effective use of similes. The tulips are portrayed as frightening creatures – a monster that she cannot escape from. This can be seen through her comparison of the tulips to “dangerous animals that should be behind bars” (9th Stanza: 2nd Line) – quite the opposite of the harmless plant they really are. She compares the tulips to the “an awful baby” (6th Stanza: 3rd Line), and “a loud noise” (8th Stanza: 3rd Line) (Tulips by Sylvia Plath, 2000).Plath again depicts herself as a victim to the tulips – they have trapped her, capturing all her senses – even her hearing.
Through the poetic devices of personification, metaphor, simile and juxtaposition, Plath explores the theme of victimization. The reader is positioned to feel sympathetic towards Plath and emphasise Plath’s feelings of distress and her longing for solitude. Tulips will continue to hold its relevance amongst society, as many individuals continue to feel burdened by the pressures of life and wish for just a moment of peace.
METAPHORS
Similar to Tulips, Metaphors also expresses the theme of victimization. During motherhood, Plath adored her children; however, she soon became resentful of her role as she was forced to place her husband, children, and housewife duties before her career. Plath becomes victim to the unborn child; she feels devalued and insignificant as the child dominates her and makes her feel as though she has lost her individuality (Sylvia Plath: Poetry Summary, 2000).
This Blank Verse style poem depicts the nine months of pregnancy. The poetic device of rhythm was used effectively as each line possesses nine syllables and there are a total of nine lines. The central conflict in the poem is duty vs. individuality. Plath lacks individuality, and instead is only a “means” and a “stage” (7th Line) for another human being (Jamisons, 2012). Plath portrays herself as a victim to the duty of motherhood; her own individuality is being silenced and can only be expressed through the child she carries. She is aware of herself, but only in terms of what she cannot be.
Plath uses metaphors to describe the features of her body. Plath describes herself as, “An Elephant, a ponderous house” (2nd Line), “A melon strolling on two long tendrils” (3rd Line) and a ‘big loaf with its yeasty rising’ (4th Line). The use of metaphor and imagery helps the reader to understand the discouragement she felt by her physical appearance as she compares the weightiness of her pregnant body with heavy and large things such as an elephant, a ponderous house and a big loaf with its yeasty rising. She suggests deep uncertainty about motherhood and the abnormality she feels by creating the awkward image of ‘a melon rolling of two long tendrils’.
Plath further uses metaphor to demonstrate her low value in comparison to the unborn child’s grand importance. She refers to her child as “Money new – minted in this fat purse” (6th Line) “Ivory and fine timber”(4th Line) . These are symbolic metaphors, explaining that without the valuable child, she is just an ordinary person (A+E Television Networks, LLC, 1996). For example, a purse has no great worth in itself, but holds money of great value. Ivory as it is the most valuable part of an elephant’s body, and the house is worthless without the fine timber which it is constructed from.
Plath falls victim to the overwhelming duties of motherhood and this is clearly manifested in "Metaphors”. Metaphors will always hold a place in society, as women will continue to relate and empathise with the emotional nine-month journey of pregnancy.
I AM VERTICAL
Another poem which reflects the theme of victimisation is I am Vertical. Similar to Tulips, the poem conveys Sylvia falling victim to the harshness of reality. I am Vertical describes Sylvia’s desperation to acquire certain qualities of nature - symbolic in form, while secretly longing for their attention as well. She identifies herself as insignificant; such a portrayal of insignificance is similar to her value in ‘Metaphors’.
Plath is rejected by nature in the poem, for she feels that the trees and the flowers are better than her. She compares herself to them in a very cynical and negative way, just as she would have compared herself to those in her real world (Melander, 2013). Plath writes, “I am not a tree a tree with my roots in the soil (2nd Line), “Nor am I the beauty of a garden be” (5th Line). She longs for a chance to live a life of ‘longevity’ (12th Line) like the tree, and wishes she had the garden bed’s ‘darling’ (12th Line). Sylvia’s strong desire to feel normal is conveyed through this poem. Being rejected by nature symbolises being rejected by people in reality (Sylvia Plath - I am Virtical , 1997).
Plath use personification to show the reader just how much she longed for this feeling of normality. Plath’s writes, ”I shall be useful when I lie down finally: Then the trees may touch me for once, and the flowers have time for me” (2nd Stanza: Last Line). (Sylvia Plath Biogrpahy , 2001)Plath longed so badly for acceptance that she was willing to ‘lie down’ - die for it. She knew that at the time of her death she would not be a victim to judgement - she would not have to measure up to anyone.
I Am Vertical will continue to hold relevance amongst modern society, as there are so many individuals who are struggling to be accepted. These individuals can be comforted by Plath’s poem, which shows empathy and understanding towards those who desperately wish to be accepted in society.
Conclusion
Through Plath’s effective use of poetic devices the theme of victimisation is clearly conveyed. Plath’s works are timeless and will continue to walk along side humanity providing individuals with empathy and understanding. So! If you’re ever feeling like a victim, like the vivid red of the tulips are too much, like your being weighed down and are as heavy as an elephant or that you’re just over standing vertically – Sylvia Plath is there to provide you with the empathy and understanding you need!
Bibliography
A+E Television Networks, LLC. (1996). Sylvia Plath. biography . Retrieved 3 13, 2014, from Bio. True Story : http://www.biography.com/people/sylvia-plath-9442550
Dobbs, J. (2000). Oh "Tulips". Retrieved 3 2, 2014, from english illinois: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/plath/tulips.htm
Jamaica Plain, M. (1970). Sylvia Plath . Retrieved 3 11, 2014, from Poemhunter: http://www.poemhunter.com/sylvia-plath/biography/
Jamisons. (2012). Analysis of reading poetry Sylvia. Retrieved 3 6, 2014, from blogspot: http://jamisonc.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/the-analysis-of-reading-poetry-sylvia.html
Melander, E. (2013, 8 21). I am Virtical by Sylvia Plath. Retrieved 3 11, 2014, from Prezi: http://prezi.com/tld3lmebuqn4/i-am-vertical-by-sylvia-plath/
Seinberg, P. K. (1998-2014). Biography. Retrieved from Sylvia Plath.info : http://www.sylviaplath.info/biography.html
Suem Livens. (2003). Significant Truths . Retrieved 3 14, 2014, from Blog spot: http://suem-musingaloud.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/i-am-vertical.html
Sylvia Plath - I am Virtical . (1997). Retrieved 3 8, 2014, from Neutrotic Poets: http://www.neuroticpoets.com/plath/poem/vertical/
Sylvia Plath Biogrpahy . (2001). Retrieved 3 2, 2014, from Sylviaplath.bio: http://www.sylviaplath.de/plath/bio.html
Sylvia Plath: Poetry Summary. (2000). Retrieved 3 9, 2014, from Gradesaver: http://www.gradesaver.com/sylvia-plath-poems/study-guide/short-summary/
Tulips by Sylvia Plath. (2000). Retrieved 3 5, 2014, from Poetryfoundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178974
It was the coldest, wettest and most miserable winter in decades. Her fever reached extraordinary heights, her sinuses were bruised and blocked, and she was alone. Alone in the midst of motherhood, caring for her two sick children; the oldest was nearly three and the youngest, nearly one. (Jamaica Plain, 1970) Handling material so violent in nature - it was almost like terrorism where you risk the bomb blowing up in your face. She was pushing on the friable edge risking that it just might break. She was locked into a closed world where there was no way out. After mindfully setting out the children’s breakfast, she opened the oven door and placed a folded white cotton cloth on the inside. She gently lowered herself to the floor and carefully laid her head inside the oven. She turned on the cooking gas, but did not move her …show more content…
restless self. She lay there at peace, breathing in and filling her lungs.
Sylvia Plath was reported dead in the winter of February 11th, 1963. (A+E Television Networks, LLC, 1996)
INTRO
Sylvia Plath’s poems all carry a theme of ‘victimisation’. Plath was faced with many emotional struggles during her lifetime and fell victim to her sorrow at the young age of 30. Sylvia’s lifelong depression greatly influenced her writing; she craved sympathy from others and painted herself as a victim in her poems. This is evident in the three works I’ve chosen to analyse: Tulips, Metaphors and I Am Vertical. Plath’s works depict human emotions such as sorrow, pain, and the struggle between responsibility and freedom. These feelings are universal and will continue to resonate with readers decades after her death. Plath’s effective use of poetic devices and her ability to evoke sympathy in her readers will ensure that her works remain relevant for centuries to come.
TULIPS
Tulips, stanzaic in form, tells the story of Plath’s escape from reality during her stay in hospital. Throughout the poem, the red tulips symbolise Plath’s duties; she feels as though she is a victim to her responsibilities and wishes she could surrender to the peace and quiet of her hospital room.
The juxtaposition of the colours red and white is used effectively in this poem to express Plath’s feelings towards the redness of the tulips and the whiteness of the hospital (Dobbs, 2000). She describes the redness of the tulips as hurting her (6th Stanza: 1st Line), and corresponding with her wounds (6th Stanza: 4th Line). They are a dozen red lead sinkers weighing her down (6th Stanza: 7th Line) and a sunken rust- red engine (8th Stanza: 5th Line). She contrasts her evident apprehension and loathing of the vivid red tulips with the quiet (1st Stanza: 2nd Line), peaceful (1st Stanza: 3rd Line), pure (4th Stanza 7th: 7th Line) and freeness (5th Stanza: 3rd Line) of the white, sterile hospital. Such imagery contrasts the harsh red tulips, which represents the living, her responsibilities and both her physiological and physical wounds, with the whiteness of the hospital: viewed as a place of peace and solitude, freeing her from such responsibilities (Suem Livens, 2003).
Another poetic device which helps to convey the meaning of the poem is metaphor.
Plath writes her body is a “thirty year old cargo boat” (4th Stanza: 1st Line) which “sinks out of sight”(4th Stanza: 6th Line) (Dobbs, 2000). She is the cargo boat, loaded past her maximum ability; she falls victim to the exhaustion of her responsibilities and cannot cope with such a load anymore. By surrendering to the sea, she liberates herself from all of her weighty burdens and, through the religious metaphor, “I am a nun now, I have never been so pure” (4th Stanza: 7th Line) – she has transformed from a battered cargo boat to being pure, cleaned of all her responsibilities.
Personification is used to bring the tulips to life: they terrorise her as they become both superior and more powerful than her. Plath personifies the tulips as she states, “they hurt me” (6th Stanza: 1st Line), “The vivid tulips eat my oxygen” (7th Stanza: 7th Line) and “I am now watched” (7th Stanza: 1st Line). The tulips steal her oxygen, hurt her and watch her – this exemplifies her falling victim to her burdens as they symbolically suffocate her and cause her
pain.
Plath’s fear and distress towards the tulips is shown through the effective use of similes. The tulips are portrayed as frightening creatures – a monster that she cannot escape from. This can be seen through her comparison of the tulips to “dangerous animals that should be behind bars” (9th Stanza: 2nd Line) – quite the opposite of the harmless plant they really are. She compares the tulips to the “an awful baby” (6th Stanza: 3rd Line), and “a loud noise” (8th Stanza: 3rd Line) (Tulips by Sylvia Plath, 2000).Plath again depicts herself as a victim to the tulips – they have trapped her, capturing all her senses – even her hearing.
Through the poetic devices of personification, metaphor, simile and juxtaposition, Plath explores the theme of victimization. The reader is positioned to feel sympathetic towards Plath and emphasise Plath’s feelings of distress and her longing for solitude. Tulips will continue to hold its relevance amongst society, as many individuals continue to feel burdened by the pressures of life and wish for just a moment of peace.
METAPHORS
Similar to Tulips, Metaphors also expresses the theme of victimization. During motherhood, Plath adored her children; however, she soon became resentful of her role as she was forced to place her husband, children, and housewife duties before her career. Plath becomes victim to the unborn child; she feels devalued and insignificant as the child dominates her and makes her feel as though she has lost her individuality (Sylvia Plath: Poetry Summary, 2000).
This Blank Verse style poem depicts the nine months of pregnancy. The poetic device of rhythm was used effectively as each line possesses nine syllables and there are a total of nine lines. The central conflict in the poem is duty vs. individuality. Plath lacks individuality, and instead is only a “means” and a “stage” (7th Line) for another human being (Jamisons, 2012). Plath portrays herself as a victim to the duty of motherhood; her own individuality is being silenced and can only be expressed through the child she carries. She is aware of herself, but only in terms of what she cannot be.
Plath uses metaphors to describe the features of her body. Plath describes herself as, “An Elephant, a ponderous house” (2nd Line), “A melon strolling on two long tendrils” (3rd Line) and a ‘big loaf with its yeasty rising’ (4th Line). The use of metaphor and imagery helps the reader to understand the discouragement she felt by her physical appearance as she compares the weightiness of her pregnant body with heavy and large things such as an elephant, a ponderous house and a big loaf with its yeasty rising. She suggests deep uncertainty about motherhood and the abnormality she feels by creating the awkward image of ‘a melon rolling of two long tendrils’.
Plath further uses metaphor to demonstrate her low value in comparison to the unborn child’s grand importance. She refers to her child as “Money new – minted in this fat purse” (6th Line) “Ivory and fine timber”(4th Line) . These are symbolic metaphors, explaining that without the valuable child, she is just an ordinary person (A+E Television Networks, LLC, 1996). For example, a purse has no great worth in itself, but holds money of great value. Ivory as it is the most valuable part of an elephant’s body, and the house is worthless without the fine timber which it is constructed from.
Plath falls victim to the overwhelming duties of motherhood and this is clearly manifested in "Metaphors”. Metaphors will always hold a place in society, as women will continue to relate and empathise with the emotional nine-month journey of pregnancy.
I AM VERTICAL
Another poem which reflects the theme of victimisation is I am Vertical. Similar to Tulips, the poem conveys Sylvia falling victim to the harshness of reality. I am Vertical describes Sylvia’s desperation to acquire certain qualities of nature - symbolic in form, while secretly longing for their attention as well. She identifies herself as insignificant; such a portrayal of insignificance is similar to her value in ‘Metaphors’.
Plath is rejected by nature in the poem, for she feels that the trees and the flowers are better than her. She compares herself to them in a very cynical and negative way, just as she would have compared herself to those in her real world (Melander, 2013). Plath writes, “I am not a tree a tree with my roots in the soil (2nd Line), “Nor am I the beauty of a garden be” (5th Line). She longs for a chance to live a life of ‘longevity’ (12th Line) like the tree, and wishes she had the garden bed’s ‘darling’ (12th Line). Sylvia’s strong desire to feel normal is conveyed through this poem. Being rejected by nature symbolises being rejected by people in reality (Sylvia Plath - I am Virtical , 1997).
Plath use personification to show the reader just how much she longed for this feeling of normality. Plath’s writes, ”I shall be useful when I lie down finally: Then the trees may touch me for once, and the flowers have time for me” (2nd Stanza: Last Line). (Sylvia Plath Biogrpahy , 2001)Plath longed so badly for acceptance that she was willing to ‘lie down’ - die for it. She knew that at the time of her death she would not be a victim to judgement - she would not have to measure up to anyone.
I Am Vertical will continue to hold relevance amongst modern society, as there are so many individuals who are struggling to be accepted. These individuals can be comforted by Plath’s poem, which shows empathy and understanding towards those who desperately wish to be accepted in society.
Conclusion
Through Plath’s effective use of poetic devices the theme of victimisation is clearly conveyed. Plath’s works are timeless and will continue to walk along side humanity providing individuals with empathy and understanding. So! If you’re ever feeling like a victim, like the vivid red of the tulips are too much, like your being weighed down and are as heavy as an elephant or that you’re just over standing vertically – Sylvia Plath is there to provide you with the empathy and understanding you need!
Bibliography
A+E Television Networks, LLC. (1996). Sylvia Plath. biography . Retrieved 3 13, 2014, from Bio. True Story : http://www.biography.com/people/sylvia-plath-9442550
Dobbs, J. (2000). Oh "Tulips". Retrieved 3 2, 2014, from english illinois: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/plath/tulips.htm
Jamaica Plain, M. (1970). Sylvia Plath . Retrieved 3 11, 2014, from Poemhunter: http://www.poemhunter.com/sylvia-plath/biography/
Jamisons. (2012). Analysis of reading poetry Sylvia. Retrieved 3 6, 2014, from blogspot: http://jamisonc.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/the-analysis-of-reading-poetry-sylvia.html
Melander, E. (2013, 8 21). I am Virtical by Sylvia Plath. Retrieved 3 11, 2014, from Prezi: http://prezi.com/tld3lmebuqn4/i-am-vertical-by-sylvia-plath/
Seinberg, P. K. (1998-2014). Biography. Retrieved from Sylvia Plath.info : http://www.sylviaplath.info/biography.html
Suem Livens. (2003). Significant Truths . Retrieved 3 14, 2014, from Blog spot: http://suem-musingaloud.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/i-am-vertical.html
Sylvia Plath - I am Virtical . (1997). Retrieved 3 8, 2014, from Neutrotic Poets: http://www.neuroticpoets.com/plath/poem/vertical/
Sylvia Plath Biogrpahy . (2001). Retrieved 3 2, 2014, from Sylviaplath.bio: http://www.sylviaplath.de/plath/bio.html
Sylvia Plath: Poetry Summary. (2000). Retrieved 3 9, 2014, from Gradesaver: http://www.gradesaver.com/sylvia-plath-poems/study-guide/short-summary/
Tulips by Sylvia Plath. (2000). Retrieved 3 5, 2014, from Poetryfoundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/178974