Ted Hughes Trophies

Trophies Ted Hughes Birthday letters * Trophies was a response to Sylvia Plath’s own poem “pursuit”, Hughes used Trophies as a response to the poem. * Hughes starts of the poem with “The panther?” which gives the readers an idea of what the poem will be based on we mentally create an image of a panther in our minds. It is almost like a question that leaves the readers suspicious and wanting to continue to read to answer the question. * Words such as “Jaws” “Fangs” “prey” and “Beast” describes the panther but also make the reader wonder who the beast is? This could suggest that Plath is the beast in her inner self who is fighting for something this would perhaps explain her suicide attempts and the reasons why she attempted them. * The poem brings out many emotions rather than keeping them all in “Your journal pages. Your efforts to cry words” this could suggest his anger towards her his encouragement for her to write to progress. Plath’s journal is like a trophy for Hughes after her death he posses this. It can also been seen as the poet trying to get his own back discriminating her in a way that she was unable to write whereas he was. * Hughes collected trophies for himself such as “the hairband” “amber jewels” and “ring from its ear” which then become a memory of Plath for him the poem is supernatural in regards to death. * “The Panther” symbolises the fierce sexual tension between the couple “the thrill of excitement” the excitement overcoming Hughes in their relationship suggesting he was always up for a challenge “ with a laugh I took its full weight” Hughes was always ready for Plath perhaps this is why he married her thinking he could deal with her . * “Little did I know the shock attack of a big predator” he was unaware of the way Plath would react he may have been infatuated by her at first and then realised that her approach would affect them both negatively. “The sudden look that locked me” her appearance was what really