'In Plaster' by Sylvia Plath

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The Collected Poems1961I shall never get out of this!There are two of me now:
This new absolutely white person and the old yellow one,
And the white person is certainly the superior one.
She doesn't need food, she is one of the real saints.
At the beginning I hated her, she had no personality --
She lay in bed with me like a dead body
And I was scared, because she was shaped just the way I wasOnly much whiter and unbreakable and with no complaints.
I couldn't sleep for a week, she was so cold.
I blamed her for everything, but she didn't answer.
I couldn't understand her stupid behavior!
When I hit her she held still, like a true pacifist.
Then I realized what she wanted was for me to love her:
She began to warm up, and I saw her advantages.Without me, she wouldn't exist, so of course she was grateful.
I gave her a soul, I bloomed out of her as a rose
Blooms out of a vase of not very valuable porcelain,
And it was I who attracted everybody's attention,
Not her whiteness and beauty, as I had at first supposed.
I patronized her a little, and she lapped it up --
You could tell almost at once she had a slave mentality.I didn't mind her waiting on me, and she adored it.
In the morning she woke me early, reflecting the sun
From her amazingly white torso, and I couldn't help but notice
Her tidiness and her calmness and her patience:
She humored my weakness like the best of nurses,
Holding my bones in place so they would mend properly.
In time our relationship grew more intense.She stopped fitting me so closely and seemed offish.
I felt her criticizing me in spite of herself,
As if my habits offended her in some way.
She let in the drafts and became more and more absent-minded.
And my skin itched and flaked away in soft pieces
Simply because she looked after me so badly.
Then I saw what the trouble was:she thought she was immortal.She wanted to leave me, she thought she was superior,
And I'd been keeping her in the dark, and she was resentful --
Wasting her days waiting on a half-corpse!
And secretly she began to hope I'd die.
Then she could cover my mouth and eyes, cover me entirely,
And wear my painted face the way a mummy-case
Wears the face of a pharaoh, though it's made of mud and water.I wasn't in any position to get rid of her.
She'd supported me for so long I was quite limp --
I had forgotten how to walk or sit,
So I was careful not to upset her in any way
Or brag ahead of time how I'd avenge myself.
Living with her was like living with my own coffin:
Yet I still depended on her, though I did it regretfully.I used to think we might make a go of it together --
After all, it was a kind of marriage, being so close.
Now I see it must be one or the other of us.
She may be a saint, and I may be ugly and hairy,
But she'll soon find out that that doesn't matter a bit.
I'm collecting my strength; one day I shall manage without her,
And she'll perish with emptiness then, and begin to miss me.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry, In Plaster: A Masterpiece of Sylvia Plath's Poetic Genius

Sylvia Plath is one of the most prominent poets of the 20th century, known for her powerful and deeply personal writing. Her poem, "Poetry, In Plaster," is a masterpiece of her poetic genius, exploring themes of art, creation, and the human condition. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will examine this poem in detail, exploring its structure, language, and themes.

Poetic Structure

The structure of "Poetry, In Plaster" is complex and multi-layered, reflecting the complexity of the themes it explores. The poem is divided into three stanzas of six, seven, and eight lines, respectively. Each stanza has a different rhyme scheme, with the first stanza rhyming ABABCC, the second stanza rhyming ABACBCC, and the third stanza rhyming ABABCBCC. This variation in rhyme scheme creates a sense of movement and progression, reflecting the evolution of the speaker's thoughts and emotions as the poem unfolds.

The poem is also characterized by its use of repetition and variation. The phrase "Poetry, In Plaster" is repeated twice in the first stanza, creating a sense of emphasis and setting up the central theme of the poem. The phrase "In the hall" is also repeated twice, creating a sense of location and setting. The second stanza features a repeated refrain of "The moon is my mother" and "She is not sweet like Mary," which creates a sense of contrast and tension. The final stanza features a repetition of the phrase "I am ill" and "I am dying," creating a sense of urgency and finality.

Language and Imagery

Plath's use of language and imagery in "Poetry, In Plaster" is both powerful and evocative. The poem is filled with vivid sensory details, such as "the hallway / Into which the crafty one sneaks / To oil the plaster / Ere the new tenant's arrival." This creates a sense of atmosphere and setting, immersing the reader in the world of the poem.

The language is also highly metaphorical, with the plaster representing both art and the human condition. The phrase "Poetry, In Plaster" is a metaphor for the creative process, with the plaster representing the material used to create the work of art. The phrase "In the hall" is a metaphor for the public arena in which the work of art is displayed, and the phrase "the new tenant's arrival" is a metaphor for the audience's reception of the work.

The moon is another powerful metaphor in the poem, representing both the speaker's mother and the creative muse. The contrast between the moon's beauty and its lack of sweetness creates a sense of tension and conflict, reflecting the ambivalent nature of the creative process itself.

Themes and Interpretation

The themes of "Poetry, In Plaster" are complex and multi-layered, reflecting the complexity of the human experience. At its core, the poem is about the creative process and the relationship between the artist and their work. The plaster represents the material used to create the work of art, while the hall represents the public arena in which the work is displayed.

The moon is a metaphor for the creative muse, representing both the speaker's mother and the source of inspiration for the artist. The contrast between the moon's beauty and its lack of sweetness reflects the tension between the artist's desire to create something beautiful and their awareness of the darkness and pain that often inspire great art.

Another theme of the poem is the relationship between art and the human condition. The plaster, as a metaphor for the creative process, is also a metaphor for the human body and the fragility of life. The final stanza, with its repetition of the phrase "I am dying," creates a sense of urgency and finality, reflecting the inevitability of death and the impermanence of all things.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Poetry, In Plaster" is a masterpiece of Sylvia Plath's poetic genius, exploring themes of art, creation, and the human condition with powerful language and vivid imagery. The structure of the poem, with its variations in rhyme scheme and repetition of key phrases, creates a sense of movement and progression, reflecting the evolution of the speaker's thoughts and emotions. The use of metaphor and symbolism creates a complex and multi-layered interpretation of the creative process and its relationship to the human experience. Overall, this poem is a testament to Plath's talent and her enduring legacy as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry In Plaster: A Masterpiece by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, is known for her confessional style of writing. Her poems are deeply personal and often explore themes of mental illness, death, and the complexities of human relationships. One of her most famous poems, Poetry In Plaster, is a stunning example of her unique style and powerful voice.

The poem was written in 1958, during a period of great turmoil in Plath's life. She had recently separated from her husband, the poet Ted Hughes, and was struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. In this context, Poetry In Plaster takes on a new significance. It is a poem about the power of art to heal and transform, even in the darkest of times.

The poem begins with a description of a plaster cast of a woman's face. The face is described as "white as a knuckle and terribly upset." This image sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is full of vivid and unsettling imagery. The woman's face is "like a madonna of a barnyard," and her eyes are "blank as pools in the winter."

As the poem progresses, the woman's face takes on a new significance. It becomes a symbol of the poet's own struggles with mental illness and the creative process. Plath writes, "I am the same, identical woman." This line suggests that the woman in the plaster cast is a reflection of the poet herself. It is a powerful statement about the connection between art and identity.

The poem then shifts to a description of the process of creating the plaster cast. Plath writes, "The plasterer's trowel has scraped a clean / Swirl of ice-cream from the pail." This image is both beautiful and unsettling. It suggests that the act of creation is both violent and transformative. The plasterer's trowel is like a knife, cutting away the excess material to reveal the true form beneath.

As the plaster cast dries, the woman's face takes on a new life. Plath writes, "The plaster of this paris is white and smooth, / as hard and unfeeling as a stone." This image is a powerful metaphor for the creative process. It suggests that art is a way of transforming raw materials into something beautiful and enduring.

The final lines of the poem are perhaps the most powerful. Plath writes, "I am a plaster doll, / I have no language, / I am cold and white and hard and unfeeling." This image is a stark reminder of the poet's own struggles with mental illness. It suggests that she feels trapped and unable to express herself. But it is also a testament to the power of art to transcend these limitations. The plaster doll may be cold and unfeeling, but it is also a work of art, a symbol of the poet's own creativity and resilience.

In conclusion, Poetry In Plaster is a masterpiece of modern poetry. It is a deeply personal and powerful exploration of the creative process and the human condition. Through vivid and unsettling imagery, Sylvia Plath captures the transformative power of art, even in the darkest of times. The poem is a testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.

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