Sylvia Plath Poem Comparison Essay Example

such as "sea waves," "sea," and even the more ominous word, "drowned," to enhance this effect. As the poem transitions back to reality, it feels as though the previously mentioned fishbowl has been violently thrown into the ocean.

Plath employs diction such as "private blitzkrieg", "fetus in a bottle", "grief and anger", and even "age and terror" to establish the uncomfortable, violent, and unsettling reality that the woman in the poem inhabits. "You're", written in 1960 when Plath was pregnant, serves as a poem about Sylvia's unborn baby. It consists of two stanzas, each containing nine lines, symbolizing the nine months of pregnancy. The perspective portrayed here is undeniably female - a pregnant mother reflecting on her pregnancy and describing her child; this is an experience that men cannot share.

Plath's poem, "You're," is a relatively upbeat piece compared to her other works. In the first stanza, she uses descriptive language to portray the unborn fetus as resembling a clown with an underdeveloped head, being moon-skulled and gilled. These vivid descriptions provide an understanding of the fetus being upside-down and constantly immersed in liquid. Plath further explores the nocturnal nature of babies and highlights the quietness of the bread-like creature growing within her. Moving to the second stanza, she contemplates the notion that a baby is eagerly anticipated, akin to awaiting mail delivery, and notes how the fetus appears snug and jumpy. However, perhaps the most profound moment in the poem is captured in its closing line - "A clean slate, with your own face on" - beautifully illustrating the baby's forthcoming new beginnings akin to a fresh start, like a "clean slate."

"Mirror" is a poem written

by Plath in 1961 that encompasses three recurring themes in her work: duality, reflection, and the female perspective. The female perspective portrayed in this poem depicts a troubled woman in constant search of truth within mirrors, yet finding no solace. The mirror described in the first stanza is both accurate and imposing, as it perceives itself almost godlike. The woman finds solace in the lake, where distorted reflections of herself, candles, and the moon provide some comfort. The final lines suggest that her depression may stem from her age and the regret of not being able to enjoy her childhood and youth, causing her disdain for witnessing her own aging through the reflection in the lake.

"The Courage of Shutting-Up" was written in 1962, a year before Sylvia's death, and explores the themes of repetition, speech, and censorship to convey her thoughts on female subservience and societal censorship. The poem revolves around the female perspective of being unable to voice one's thoughts and living a repetitive existence, with a defeated tongue symbolically displayed like a trophy on a wall. Plath employs a variety of language in the poem, mostly adopting a masculine and war-like tone, suggesting her struggle against male dominance. The first stanza depicts "The courage of the shut mouth, in spite of artillery!" and depicts a record player with "black disks... of courage..." signifying Plath's thoughts and emotions repeatedly playing, desperate to be heard. This metaphor continues in the second stanza with the mention of "a needle in its groove," transitioning to the image of an overqualified tattooist in the third stanza. This tattooist, formerly a surgeon, symbolizes perhaps Sylvia's perceived decline from revered

poet to unfulfilled mother, relentlessly imprinting the same tired tattoos in silence and solemnity.

The fourth stanza revisits the theme of war and compares it to a record player. The tongue enters the poem and is depicted as tireless and purple. This raises the question of whether the tongue is dangerous enough to warrant its removal. Based on the description, it seems that the answer is yes. Consequently, the tongue becomes a trophy, displayed on the mantle alongside other animal heads. This can be seen as an extended metaphor for Plath feeling silenced by her husband, resigned to admiring his conquests in defeat.

The poem concludes with a depiction of a forgotten nation, its pride and strength concealed and lost, possibly symbolizing the author's ability to express herself being taken away by her husband or the limitations imposed by her gender when it came to having a voice. "Kindness," the final poem, was composed in 1963, during the same month Sylvia Plath died by suicide and shortly after her husband abandoned her. The poem follows a consistent structure of four stanzas, each consisting of five lines. Plath employs a female perspective in which she satirizes the conventional notion of kindness, often associated with motherhood, and discusses the vulnerability and desperation of children within the larger context of life. The poem starts by asserting the abundance of kindness within her house, subtly hinting at its illusory nature with the consecutive usage of "smoke" and "mirrors," both filled with artificial smiles. In the second stanza, she explores the cry of a child, not as a mere sobbing sound but rather an expression of agony and desperation, emphasizing its authenticity

as opposed to the cry of a rabbit, as it possesses a soul.

This excerpt suggests that Plath may have contemplated killing her children as well as herself, which is unsettling. The poem continues with the mention of "kindness sweetly picking up the pieces." Plath also employs tender language such as "butterflies" and "Japanese silks" to possibly convey the fragility of kindness. The poem concludes with a final message to her unfaithful husband, as "he" presumably attempts to console her "with a cup of tea," and Plath responds with another statement reminiscent of suicide: "The blood jet is poetry, there is no stopping it."

The poem evokes the image of slit wrists, representing an unstoppable flow of blood. The last line indicates that the poem is directed towards her husband, as he handed her two children, symbolized by roses. However, the use of "roses" suggests funerals rather than expressions of love. Overall, this is the most despairing and resentful poem examined. After analyzing all five poems, it is evident that each one contains elements of the female perspective. In "A Life," the female perspective is portrayed through the viewpoint of the patient, who feels isolated and trapped in a painful reality and seeks solace in a delicate fantasy world represented by a "fishbowl."

The text discusses the female perspective in both "You're" and "Mirror". In "You're", the focus is on pregnancy, a unique experience exclusive to women, and Plath's anticipation for her baby's arrival. On the other hand, "Mirror" portrays a troubled woman who seeks answers in the reflections of mirrors and prefers the distorted ripples of a lake compared to the harsh reality reflected in a

wall mirror. Despite the distortions in the lake's reflection, the woman still observes her aging process, which she describes as ominous, compared to a dreadful fish.

"The Courage of Shutting Up" depicts a woman's experience of feeling confined by her monotonous domestic responsibilities and the restrictive control of her spouse. The inability to freely express oneself can be likened to a form of mental confinement, which forced Plath to turn to poetry as her means of escape. This poem serves as a manifestation of her suppressed emotions and thoughts. Similarly, in "Kindness," the female perspective reflects a combination of a suicidal rage towards her ex-husband and a vengeful desire, akin to Medea, to harm her own children as a means of revenge against her former lover.

The speaker discusses the concept of "kindness" as a mask worn by women to maintain order in their homes. Sylvia Plath's poems "Mirror", "A Life", and "The Courage of Shutting-Up" all address the grievances faced by women in society and in their relationships. These poems share a common theme of self-criticism and portray a somber and bleak outlook. However, "Kindness" and "You’re" diverge from this pattern. "Kindness" is a profoundly dark and angry poem directed towards Sylvia's husband, while "You’re" offers a glimmer of hope as it explores pregnancy. These two poems represent different phases in Plath's life - one characterized by faux happiness and the other by intense hatred and despair. Regardless of the form or the period in Plath's life, her poems always offer a female perspective.

Plath has always been intrigued by the gender disparities in her generation and has consistently highlighted the female perspective, which was frequently ignored,

to give it a voice.