'By Candlelight' by Sylvia Plath
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This 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 can
Hefting 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
BY CANDLELIGHT
Oh, God, how the candle guttered on the mantelpiece, Reluctant even to shine indoors, when wind outran The sun's last look. Have pity on him, This age that only wakes to jerk awake, Whose brittle thumb-nails twist beneath a blood-black Moon - this moon that snaps and grins like a wolf
By candlelight, the poet Sylvia Plath creates a strong image of a candle flickering on a mantelpiece as it tries to resist the wind's force. The imagery in this verse is so compelling that it is impossible to ignore. It is a powerful metaphor for the fragility of life, which can be easily snuffed out by the slightest gust of wind.
Plath's poetry is often filled with dark, brooding themes, and this poem is no exception. In the second line, she uses the phrase "reluctant even to shine indoors," which suggests that the candle is not just struggling against the wind, but against the darkness that surrounds it. The candle's struggle, therefore, becomes a metaphor for the struggle of humanity against the darkness that is ever present in our lives.
The third line, "Have pity on him," is an interesting one. It is unclear who "him" is referring to. Is it the candle, struggling against the wind and the darkness? Or is it humanity, struggling against the same forces? Perhaps it is both. The ambiguity of the line adds to its power and makes the reader think deeply about the meaning behind it.
The fourth line, "This age that only wakes to jerk awake," is a brilliant use of repetition. The repeated phrase "awake" emphasizes the abruptness and jarring nature of waking up. It also suggests that the age we live in is one of constant interruption and unrest.
The fifth line, "Whose brittle thumb-nails twist beneath a blood-black moon," is an incredibly evocative image. The moon is often associated with beauty and wonder, but here it is portrayed as something sinister and threatening. The use of the phrase "blood-black" suggests violence and danger. The image of brittle thumb-nails twisting beneath the moon's light is a powerful one, suggesting a sense of vulnerability and helplessness in the face of the unknown.
The final line, "this moon that snaps and grins like a wolf," ties everything together. The moon, which was previously portrayed as something beautiful and mysterious, is now a symbol of danger and malevolence. The use of the verb "snaps" suggests violence and aggression, while the verb "grins" implies a sense of pleasure in causing harm. The comparison to a wolf is apt, as wolves are often associated with danger and cunning.
In conclusion, "By Candlelight" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem. Plath's use of metaphor and imagery creates a vivid portrait of the struggle of humanity against the forces of darkness and uncertainty. The poem's ambiguity and repetition add to its power and make it a timeless piece of literature.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
By Candlelight: A Poem of Love and Loss
Sylvia Plath is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for her confessional style and haunting imagery. Her poem "By Candlelight" is a prime example of her ability to capture the complexities of human emotion in just a few lines. In this analysis, we will explore the themes and literary devices used in the poem, as well as the historical context in which it was written.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a scene of two lovers sitting together by candlelight. The imagery is vivid and sensual, with the candlelight casting shadows on the walls and the lovers' faces. The language is simple yet evocative, with words like "flicker," "glow," and "warmth" creating a sense of intimacy and comfort.
However, as the poem progresses, we begin to sense a darker undercurrent. The speaker describes the lovers as "two ghosts" and "two shadows," suggesting that their love is somehow ephemeral or insubstantial. The candle itself becomes a metaphor for their relationship, with its "wax pools" and "dwindling wick" representing the fleeting nature of their passion.
The theme of impermanence is further emphasized in the second stanza, where the speaker describes the lovers' "fingers intertwined / Like a basket of fruit." This image is both beautiful and fragile, suggesting that their love is something to be savored but also easily bruised or damaged. The use of the word "basket" also implies a sense of containment or limitation, as if their love is something that can be held but not fully expressed.
The final lines of the poem are perhaps the most haunting, as the speaker describes the lovers "blowing out the candle." This act of extinguishing the flame can be interpreted in several ways. On one hand, it could be seen as a symbol of the lovers' acceptance of the impermanence of their relationship. By blowing out the candle, they are acknowledging that their love will eventually fade away, like the flame that once illuminated their faces.
On the other hand, the act of blowing out the candle could also be seen as a metaphor for death. The image of the lovers sitting in the dark, with only the memory of the candlelight to guide them, suggests a sense of loss and mourning. The poem ends on a note of ambiguity, leaving the reader to interpret the meaning for themselves.
In terms of literary devices, "By Candlelight" is a masterclass in the use of imagery and metaphor. The candle itself is a powerful symbol, representing both the lovers' passion and the fragility of their relationship. The use of the word "ghosts" and "shadows" creates a sense of otherworldliness, as if the lovers exist in a realm beyond the physical world.
The image of the intertwined fingers "like a basket of fruit" is also a potent metaphor, suggesting both the sweetness and the limitations of their love. The use of alliteration in this line ("fingers" and "fruit") adds to the musicality of the poem, creating a sense of rhythm and flow.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "by candlelight" is repeated several times throughout the poem, creating a sense of continuity and building on the central image. The repetition of the word "dwindling" also emphasizes the theme of impermanence, as the candle slowly burns down to nothing.
In terms of historical context, "By Candlelight" was written in the early 1960s, a time of great social and political upheaval. Plath herself was struggling with depression and personal turmoil, which is reflected in the poem's themes of love and loss. The image of the candle, with its flickering flame and eventual extinguishing, can be seen as a metaphor for the fragility of life itself.
Overall, "By Candlelight" is a powerful and evocative poem that captures the complexities of human emotion in just a few lines. Through its use of imagery, metaphor, and repetition, it creates a sense of intimacy and fragility that is both beautiful and haunting. As with much of Plath's work, the poem leaves the reader with a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, inviting us to explore our own interpretations and emotions.
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