Sylvia Plath Essay

destitution which arises as a consequence of war. Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney and Tree Grave by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, portray the wretchedness experienced at times of death. Finally, The Long Song of Alfred J Prufrock by T.S Eliot and Mirror by Sylvia Plath, reflect upon heartbreak and the process of ageing. The poets utilise a variety of literary devices to convey unique interpretations upon their experiences with sorrow. Imagery is evidently used by all poets, effectively immersing the…

Similar to a window, poetry perforates the individual’s veil of perception and allows them to empathise with the plight of other humans. Sylvia Plath’s poems Tulips and Poppies In July, as well as Gwen Harwood’s The Wound and In Hospital convey the palpable and impalpable aspects of pain. Although injury is inherent to life, the experience of pain is one that is different to each individual and relies on poetry to transcend this subjectivity. The tangible sensation of pain is conveyed in the…

multiple times throughout the novel, rotating between fear, lust, and adrenaline rush; Prufrock’s despair sets the poem to a uniform, peaceful atmosphere. Additionally, the mirror in Sylvia Plath’s poem “meditat[es] on the opposite wall” (Plath 6), staring back at the woman whenever she passes by. The “eye of a little god” (Plath 5) catches her attention and lures her in the judge herself based on imperfections. This leads the woman’s encounter with her subconscious who reflects the truth…

diatribe and stingy trail (Hook). Every person in the world, reputable or execrable, have their own flaws. There is an inadequacy in each person can make it hard to decipher if a character is a true protagonist. In the short story’s “Initiation” by Sylvia Plath, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe, and “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, it can be hard for the readers to tell who the true protagonist is in each of the plots (Transition). Imperfections and eccentric ways of…

In her semi-autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar, Plath used figurative language to eloquently describe depression.“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband…

draining, disconnect, if practiced repeatedly, may become a comforting familiarity. People who are disconnected- from family, friends, nature, life, etc.- may not realize the harm they are causing by forcing themselves into this emotional exile. In Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood spirals into a state of detachment, at first unintentionally, but then purposely. By being unaware of this emotional turmoil, Esther digs herself into a hole of deep-rooted depression and mental…

been used throughout time to entertain, engage, inspire, celebrate, and explore. This ranges from odes written by Pindar a classical poet from ancient Greece to odes written in the 19th and 20th century by female poets such as Emily Brontë and Sylvia Plath. The ode is first and foremost a poem that consists of a subject or object being addressed by a narrator; usually the poet themselves. The imperative ‘must’ in the question suggests that the grandness of the ode is necessary for it to be…

“How we need another soul to cling to.”, once said Sylvia Plath. This quote can be applied to the book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. By analyzing the relationships of these unusual companionships, we can then find the basis of each one. The relationships between George and Lennie, Curley and his wife, and Candy and his dog each have their own unique aspects. Throughout the novel George and Lennie have a very brotherly relationship. George always looks out for Lennie and seems to be an…

During the 1950's, life was centered on the family and domestic duties for women. Women were encouraged to stay at home, raise children, cook, clean, and care for their husbands. However, some women challenged traditional values and stayed in the workforce. Many women in the 1950's suffered with pain, sorrow, and difficulties that didn't allow them to prosper or reach their academic goal and success. Although, some women worked outside of the house, they were usually paid less than men for…

The modern asylum and mental institutions not only opened up the art canon to this marginalized community, but also started a medical and scientific exploration into mental illness, behavioral sciences, the psychology of the brain, and if there’s really proof of the link between creativity and insanity. As Thomas Szaz explains in his article,Intentionality and Insanity, while the sciences have one singular lens for explaining their findings, mental health professionals have two: “one for sane…