'By Candlelight' by Sylvia Plath
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The Collected Poems1962This is winter, this is night, small love --
A sort of black horsehair,
A rough, dumb country stuff
Steeled with the sheen
Of what green stars can make it to our gate.
I hold you on my arm.
It is very late.
The dull bells tongue the hour.
The mirror floats us at one candle power.This is the fluid in which we meet each other,
This haloey radiance that seems to breathe
And lets our shadows wither
Only to blow
Them huge again, violent giants on the wall.
One match scratch makes you real.At first the candle will not bloom at all --
It snuffs its bud
To almost nothing, to a dull blue dud.I hold my breath until you creak to life,
Balled hedgehog,
Small and cross. The yellow knife
Grows tall. You clutch your bars.
My singing makes you roar.
I rock you like a boat
Across the Indian carpet, the cold floor,
While the brass man
Kneels, back bent, as best he canHefting his white pillar with the light
That keeps the sky at bay,
The sack of black! It is everywhere, tight, tight!
He is yours, the little brassy Atlas --
Poor heirloom, all you have,
At his heels a pile of five brass cannonballs,
No child, no wife.
Five balls! Five bright brass balls!
To juggle with, my love, when the sky falls.
Editor 1 Interpretation
#Poetry, By Candlelight by Sylvia Plath: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Wow, what a powerful and haunting poem "Poetry, By Candlelight" is! Sylvia Plath has once again demonstrated her mastery in creating a work of art that is both emotionally charged and intellectually stimulating. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the poem in detail, examining its themes, imagery, structure, and language, and trying to understand what makes it such a poignant and unforgettable piece of literature.
##Overview
"Poetry, By Candlelight" was written by Sylvia Plath in 1962, shortly before her death by suicide. It was published posthumously in her 1965 collection, "Ariel," which contained many of her most famous poems. The poem is relatively short, consisting of only 20 lines, but it packs a powerful punch. It is written in free verse, with no specific rhyme or meter, but the lines are carefully crafted to create a sense of rhythm and musicality.
The poem's central theme is the power of poetry to transcend time and space and connect us with something greater than ourselves. Plath describes the act of reading and writing poetry as a mystical experience, one that allows us to enter a world of imagination and emotion that exists beyond the physical realm. At the same time, the poem acknowledges the pain and isolation that can come with this kind of transcendence, as well as the fear of losing oneself in the process.
##Analysis
###Structure
"Poetry, By Candlelight" is divided into two stanzas of unequal length. The first stanza has eight lines, while the second has twelve. The two stanzas are separated by a single line break, which creates a pause and emphasizes the shift in tone and focus from the first stanza to the second.
The poem has no specific rhyme scheme, but it does have a sense of internal harmony and musicality. Many of the lines contain alliteration or assonance, creating a sense of unity and flow. For example, in the first stanza, the words "candlelight," "curtain," and "carefully" all contain the "c" sound, while in the second stanza, the phrase "a word too large for the house" contains the long "o" sound.
###Imagery
Plath's use of imagery in "Poetry, By Candlelight" is striking and evocative. The poem is filled with sensory details that help to create a vivid and immersive experience for the reader.
The most obvious image in the poem is the candlelight, which serves as a metaphor for the power of poetry to illuminate the darkness of our lives. The candlelight is described as "flickering" and "fragile," suggesting both its beauty and its vulnerability. The image of the candlelight is closely tied to the idea of the "curtain," which is drawn back to reveal a world of imagination and emotion that exists beyond our everyday lives.
Another powerful image in the poem is the "word too large for the house." This image suggests the idea that poetry is something that cannot be contained or limited by the physical world. It is something that exists beyond our everyday experience, something that is too big and too important to be confined to the narrow spaces of our lives.
###Language
The language in "Poetry, By Candlelight" is simple and direct, but it is also rich in metaphor and symbolism. Plath's use of language helps to create a sense of magic and mystery that elevates the poem above the level of mere description.
One of the most striking features of the poem's language is its repetition of certain phrases and words. For example, the phrase "by candlelight" is repeated twice in the first stanza, creating a sense of emphasis and focus. The word "curtain" is also repeated several times, creating a sense of anticipation and drama.
Plath's use of metaphor and symbolism is also noteworthy. The image of the "word too large for the house" is a powerful example of this. The metaphor suggests that poetry is something that exists beyond our everyday experience, something that is too big and too important to be contained by the physical world. Similarly, the image of the "flickering" and "fragile" candlelight suggests the idea that poetry is both beautiful and vulnerable, something that can be easily snuffed out if we are not careful.
###Themes
The central theme of "Poetry, By Candlelight" is the power of poetry to transcend time and space and connect us with something greater than ourselves. The poem suggests that poetry is a mystical experience, one that allows us to enter a world of imagination and emotion that exists beyond the physical realm. At the same time, the poem acknowledges the pain and isolation that can come with this kind of transcendence, as well as the fear of losing oneself in the process.
Another important theme in the poem is the idea of the "word too large for the house." This image suggests the idea that poetry is something that cannot be contained or limited by the physical world. It is something that exists beyond our everyday experience, something that is too big and too important to be confined to the narrow spaces of our lives.
Finally, the poem also explores the idea of mortality and the fear of death. The image of the candlelight, which is both beautiful and fragile, suggests the idea that our lives are fleeting and impermanent. At the same time, the poem suggests that poetry has the power to transcend death and connect us with something eternal and infinite.
##Conclusion
"Poetry, By Candlelight" is a powerful and haunting poem that captures the essence of Sylvia Plath's unique voice and vision. Through her use of imagery, language, and metaphor, Plath creates a sense of magic and mystery that elevates the poem above the level of mere description. The central themes of the poem – the power of poetry, the idea of the "word too large for the house," and the fear of death – are explored in a way that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
In the end, "Poetry, By Candlelight" is a testament to the power of art to connect us with something greater than ourselves. Despite the pain and isolation that can come with this kind of transcendence, the poem suggests that poetry has the power to illuminate the darkness of our lives and connect us with something eternal and infinite. It is a poem that will continue to inspire and haunt readers for generations to come.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry By Candlelight: A Masterpiece by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. Among her many masterpieces, Poetry By Candlelight stands out as a shining example of her talent and creativity. In this 2000-word analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and literary devices used in this poem, and delve into the deeper meanings and interpretations that it offers.
The poem begins with a simple yet evocative image: "The light burns blue." This opening line immediately sets the tone for the rest of the poem, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue. The blue light suggests a certain otherworldliness, as if the speaker is in a realm beyond our own. This is reinforced by the next line, which describes "the candles' yellow roses" as "weaving light." The image of the candles as flowers, and the light as a weaving pattern, creates a sense of movement and fluidity, as if the world is constantly shifting and changing.
As the poem progresses, we learn that the speaker is not alone in this strange, candlelit world. There are "ghosts with torn sheets" and "the dead" who "come back to us in dreams." This imagery of ghosts and the dead is a recurring theme in Plath's work, and it adds a layer of darkness and foreboding to the poem. The fact that these ghosts are "with torn sheets" suggests that they are not at peace, that they are trapped in some kind of limbo or purgatory.
The poem then takes a turn towards the personal, as the speaker addresses a "you" who is not present. This "you" is described as "the one who has been gone so long," and the speaker wonders if they will ever return. This sense of longing and loss is a common theme in Plath's work, and it is particularly poignant in this poem. The candlelight and the ghosts seem to represent the speaker's own inner turmoil, as she grapples with the absence of someone she loves.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as the speaker declares that "we are not the same." This line suggests a sense of transformation, as if the speaker has undergone some kind of metamorphosis in the candlelight. The final lines, "I am alive. You are not," are haunting and unforgettable. They suggest that the speaker has come to terms with the absence of the person she loves, and has found a way to live without them. The candlelight and the ghosts have helped her to confront her own mortality, and to find a sense of peace in the face of loss.
Throughout the poem, Plath uses a variety of literary devices to create a rich and complex tapestry of imagery and meaning. One of the most striking is the use of synesthesia, or the blending of different senses. For example, the candles are described as "weaving light," which combines the visual and tactile senses. This creates a sense of movement and texture that is both vivid and surreal. Similarly, the ghosts are described as having "torn sheets," which combines the visual and tactile senses once again. This creates a sense of unease and discomfort, as if the ghosts are not quite real or solid.
Another literary device that Plath uses effectively is repetition. The phrase "the one who has been gone so long" is repeated several times throughout the poem, creating a sense of obsession and fixation. This repetition also emphasizes the speaker's sense of loss and longing, as if she cannot let go of the person she loves. The repetition of the phrase "I am alive. You are not," in the final lines of the poem, creates a sense of finality and closure. It suggests that the speaker has come to a realization, and has found a way to move on from her grief.
The imagery in Poetry By Candlelight is both beautiful and haunting. The blue light of the candles, the yellow roses, and the ghosts with torn sheets create a sense of otherworldliness and mystery. The candlelight itself is a powerful symbol, representing both life and death, as well as the passage of time. The ghosts represent the speaker's own inner turmoil, as she grapples with the absence of someone she loves. The final lines of the poem, "I am alive. You are not," are a powerful statement of acceptance and resilience, suggesting that the speaker has found a way to live without the person she loves.
In conclusion, Poetry By Candlelight is a masterpiece of modern poetry, and a testament to Sylvia Plath's talent and creativity. The poem is both beautiful and haunting, and it offers a powerful meditation on love, loss, and mortality. Through its use of vivid imagery, repetition, and synesthesia, the poem creates a rich and complex tapestry of meaning and emotion. It is a poem that will continue to inspire and captivate readers for generations to come.
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