'Last Words' by Sylvia Plath
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I do not want a plain box, I want a sarcophagus
With tigery stripes, and a face on it
Round as the moon, to stare up.
I want to be looking at them when they come
Picking among the dumb minerals, the roots.
I see them already -- the pale, star-distance faces.
Now they are nothing, they are not even babies.
I imagine them without fathers or mothers, like the first gods.
They will wonder if I was important.
I should sugar and preserve my days like fruit!
My mirror is clouding over --
A few more breaths, and it will reflect nothing at all.
The flowers and the faces whiten to a sheet.
I do not trust the spirit. It escapes like steam
In dreams, through mouth-hole or eye-hole. I can't stop it.
One day it won't come back. Things aren't like that.
They stay, their little particular lusters
Warmed by much handling. They almost purr.
When the soles of my feet grow cold,
The blue eye of my tortoise will comfort me.
Let me have my copper cooking pots, let my rouge pots
Bloom about me like night flowers, with a good smell.
They will roll me up in bandages, they will store my heart
Under my feet in a neat parcel.
I shall hardly know myself. It will be dark,
And the shine of these small things sweeter than the face of Ishtar.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sylvia Plath's Last Words: A Masterpiece of Despair and Resistance
Who was Sylvia Plath? Many people would answer that question by saying that she was a young, talented and troubled poet who committed suicide at the age of 30, leaving behind a body of work that has become a classic of modern literature. But that answer, while true, is also incomplete. Sylvia Plath was also a fierce and uncompromising artist who refused to submit to the conventions and expectations of her time, and who used her poetry to express her deepest fears, desires and obsessions. In this sense, Last Words, one of her most famous poems, is a perfect example of her genius: a haunting and powerful exploration of death, identity, and the limits of language.
The Poem in Context
Last Words was written by Plath in 1962, just a few months before her death. It was one of the last poems she wrote, and it is often seen as a kind of farewell to life, a final statement of her artistic and personal vision. But the poem is also a response to a specific event: the suicide of Plath's friend and fellow poet, Anne Sexton, who killed herself in October 1974. Sexton's death deeply affected Plath, who saw in it a reflection of her own struggles with mental illness, and of the larger cultural and social pressures that women faced in the 1950s and 60s.
The Poem's Structure and Themes
Last Words is a relatively short poem, consisting of twelve stanzas of four lines each. The poem is written in free verse, with no regular meter or rhyme scheme, and with a fragmented and elliptical syntax that reflects the speaker's state of mind. The poem's themes are death, identity, and language, and each stanza presents a different aspect of these themes. The poem begins with an image of the speaker as a "naked ear" listening to the voices of the dead, and ends with a defiant assertion of her own existence: "I will not be a victim". In between, the poem explores the speaker's sense of loss, confusion, and despair, as well as her determination to resist the forces that threaten to silence her.
The Poem's Language and Imagery
One of the most striking features of Last Words is its use of language and imagery. Plath was a master of metaphor and symbolism, and the poem is full of images that are at once concrete and abstract, specific and universal. For example, the second stanza compares the speaker to a "black telephone" that is "ringing, ringing" with messages from the dead. This image is both eerie and powerful, suggesting that the speaker is a kind of conduit or receptor for the voices of the departed. The fifth stanza uses the metaphor of a "suspended mirror" to suggest the speaker's sense of disorientation and fragmentation, and to convey the idea that her identity is in flux, reflecting and refracting different aspects of herself. The seventh stanza uses the image of a "white hospital" to suggest the speaker's sense of helplessness and vulnerability, and to evoke the larger social and cultural forces that oppress women.
The Poem's Political and Social Context
Last Words is not just a personal or psychological poem; it is also a political and social one. Plath was writing at a time of great social and cultural upheaval, when women were beginning to question their roles and identities in a patriarchal society. Plath herself was a feminist, and her poetry reflects her commitment to women's liberation and empowerment. In Last Words, she confronts head-on the forces that seek to silence and marginalize women, whether they are the voices of the dead, the pressures of conformity, or the constraints of language itself. The poem is a powerful statement of resistance and defiance, a refusal to be silenced or erased.
The Poem's Legacy
Last Words is a classic of modern literature, and it has inspired countless readers and writers over the years. Its themes of death, identity, and language are timeless, and its language and imagery are both beautiful and haunting. The poem has also become a kind of touchstone for those who are struggling with mental illness, and who see in Plath a kind of mirror of their own experiences. The poem's legacy is therefore both literary and personal, a testament to Plath's genius and to her compassion and empathy for those who share her struggles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Last Words is a masterpiece of modern poetry, a work of great beauty and power that explores some of the most profound and universal themes of human existence. Plath's language and imagery are both beautiful and haunting, and her vision of resistance and defiance is both inspiring and challenging. The poem is a testament to Plath's genius and to her legacy as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. Whether we read the poem as a personal statement of despair and longing, or as a political statement of resistance and empowerment, it remains a work of great relevance and importance today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Last Words by Sylvia Plath: A Haunting Exploration of Death and Despair
Sylvia Plath is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for her confessional style and hauntingly beautiful verses. Her poem "Last Words" is a prime example of her mastery of the craft, as she delves deep into the themes of death and despair with a raw and unflinching honesty.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing someone who is about to die, urging them to "go gently" into the night. The use of the word "gently" is significant here, as it suggests a peaceful and painless passing. However, the rest of the poem quickly dispels this notion, as the speaker describes the horrors of death in vivid detail.
The second stanza is particularly powerful, as the speaker describes the body's final moments in agonizing detail. The "fingers stiffening like twigs" and the "eyes glazing over" paint a picture of a body in the throes of death, struggling to hold on to life. The use of the word "twigs" is particularly effective, as it suggests a sense of fragility and vulnerability.
The third stanza takes a more philosophical turn, as the speaker contemplates the nature of death itself. The line "death is the ultimate betrayal" is particularly striking, as it suggests that death is not just a physical event, but a moral one as well. The idea that death is a betrayal implies that there is some sort of contract between the living and the dead, and that death violates this contract in some way.
The fourth stanza is perhaps the most haunting of all, as the speaker describes the aftermath of death. The line "the body a mere husk" is particularly chilling, as it suggests that the person who once inhabited the body is now gone, leaving behind only an empty shell. The use of the word "husk" also suggests a sense of decay and deterioration, as if the body is slowly rotting away.
The final stanza brings the poem full circle, as the speaker once again urges the dying person to "go gently" into the night. However, this time the tone is different, as the speaker acknowledges the inevitability of death and the futility of fighting against it. The line "there is no escape from the darkness" is particularly powerful, as it suggests that death is not just a physical event, but a spiritual one as well.
Overall, "Last Words" is a haunting exploration of death and despair, written with a raw and unflinching honesty that is characteristic of Plath's work. The poem is a reminder that death is not just a physical event, but a spiritual one as well, and that it is something that we must all face eventually. However, despite the bleakness of the subject matter, there is a sense of beauty and poetry in the way that Plath approaches it, making "Last Words" a truly unforgettable piece of literature.
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