'Sow' by Sylvia Plath
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God knows how our neighbor managed to breed
His great sow:
Whatever his shrewd secret, he kept it hid
In the same way
He kept the sow--impounded from public stare,
Prize ribbon and pig show.
But one dusk our questions commended us to a tour
Through his lantern-lit
Maze of barns to the lintel of the sunk sty door
To gape at it:
This was no rose-and-larkspurred china suckling
With a penny slot
For thrift children, nor dolt pig ripe for heckling,
About to be
Glorified for prime flesh and golden crackling
In a parsley halo;
Nor even one of the common barnyard sows,
Mire-smirched, blowzy,
Maunching thistle and knotweed on her snout-
cruise--
Bloat tun of milk
On the move, hedged by a litter of feat-foot ninnies
Shrilling her hulk
To halt for a swig at the pink teats. No. This vast
Brobdingnag bulk
Of a sow lounged belly-bedded on that black
compost,
Fat-rutted eyes
Dream-filmed. What a vision of ancient hoghood
must
Thus wholly engross
The great grandam!--our marvel blazoned a knight,
Helmed, in cuirass,
Unhorsed and shredded in the grove of combat
By a grisly-bristled
Boar, fabulous enough to straddle that sow's heat.
But our farmer whistled,
Then, with a jocular fist thwacked the barrel nape,
And the green-copse-castled
Pig hove, letting legend like dried mud drop,
Slowly, grunt
On grunt, up in the flickering light to shape
A monument
Prodigious in gluttonies as that hog whose want
Made lean Lent
Of kitchen slops and, stomaching no constraint,
Proceeded to swill
The seven troughed seas and every earthquaking
continent.
Submitted by J.D. Maciel
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Sow" by Sylvia Plath: A Critical Analysis
Sylvia Plath is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. Her work is known for its raw expression of emotion, powerful imagery, and haunting themes. "Sow" is a poem that is often overlooked in Plath's body of work, but it is a prime example of her poetic prowess. In this critical analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and structure of "Sow" and examine how they contribute to the poem's overall meaning.
Themes
One of the primary themes in "Sow" is the theme of motherhood. The poem is a metaphor for the experience of childbirth and the challenges that come with it. The sow, in this case, is a symbol for the mother, and the piglets represent the children. The poem explores the pain, sacrifice, and love that come with the process of giving birth and raising children.
Another theme in "Sow" is the theme of death. Plath was no stranger to the concept of death, as it featured heavily in much of her work. In "Sow," death is represented by the idea of the sow being killed and the piglets being orphaned. The poem highlights the inevitability of death and the fact that even the most natural processes, such as childbirth, are tinged with the shadow of mortality.
Imagery
One of the most striking features of "Sow" is its vivid imagery. Plath uses sensory language to create a rich and evocative portrait of the sow and the piglets. For example, she describes the sow as having "a big-bellied sow / with a pearl-button nose" and "tusks sharpened against // Her deliveries." These descriptions create a clear image of a powerful and intimidating creature.
Plath also uses imagery to convey the pain and challenge of childbirth. She describes the sow's "great fecundity" and the "raw-seamed / Pink teats" that feed the piglets. These descriptions are visceral and convey the physicality of the birthing process. The image of the "pink teats" is particularly striking, as it emphasizes the raw, exposed nature of childbirth.
Structure
The structure of "Sow" is notable for its use of repetition and rhyme. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with four lines. The first and third lines of each stanza rhyme, while the second and fourth lines do not. This creates a sense of rhythm and musicality that is reminiscent of a nursery rhyme.
Plath also uses repetition to emphasize certain ideas and themes. For example, she repeats the phrase "the sow" multiple times throughout the poem, which serves to reinforce the sow's importance as a symbol for motherhood. The repetition of the phrase "the piglets" also creates a sense of unity and connection between the offspring.
Interpretation
So what does "Sow" ultimately mean? At its core, the poem is a meditation on the experience of motherhood and the challenges that come with it. Plath uses the metaphor of the sow to convey the physical pain and emotional sacrifice that mothers must endure to give birth and raise children. The image of the piglets being orphaned also highlights the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.
However, "Sow" can also be read as a commentary on the patriarchal society in which Plath lived. The sow, as a symbol for motherhood, can be seen as a representation of the ways in which women are often reduced to their reproductive abilities. The poem can be read as a critique of the societal pressure placed on women to bear children and the way in which this pressure can be both physically and emotionally taxing.
Overall, "Sow" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores complex themes in a concise and accessible way. Plath's use of vivid imagery and rhythmic structure make the poem a joy to read, while its underlying message will resonate with anyone who has experienced the challenges of motherhood or the fragility of life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sylvia Plath's poem "Sow" is a haunting and powerful piece that explores themes of death, decay, and the cyclical nature of life. Written in 1962, the poem is a reflection on the inevitability of death and the ways in which we are all connected to the natural world.
The poem begins with a vivid description of a sow giving birth, with Plath using rich and evocative language to paint a picture of the scene. She describes the sow as "squatting in the dirt like a root" and the piglets as "pink, bald bundles." The imagery is both beautiful and unsettling, as Plath captures the raw, primal nature of birth.
As the poem progresses, however, the tone shifts from one of wonder to one of darkness. Plath describes the sow as "bloated and bald" and the piglets as "squealing and sucking." The language becomes more visceral and disturbing, as Plath delves deeper into the reality of life and death.
The poem reaches its climax with the lines "The sow's belly was big with a future of bacon and ham, / And the piglets huddled in their cradle of dirt." Here, Plath confronts the harsh reality of the cycle of life and death. The sow, once a symbol of new life and hope, is now destined for slaughter, and the piglets, once innocent and vulnerable, will soon follow in her footsteps.
Plath's use of imagery is particularly striking in this section of the poem. The sow's belly, once a symbol of fertility and abundance, is now "big with a future of bacon and ham," a stark reminder of the fate that awaits her. The piglets, too, are described in a way that emphasizes their eventual demise. They are "huddled in their cradle of dirt," a phrase that suggests both the fragility of their existence and the inevitability of their death.
The final lines of the poem are perhaps the most powerful. Plath writes, "The sow lay on her side; / Her pipe leaked drop by drop." Here, Plath captures the moment of death with a simple, yet haunting image. The sow, once full of life and vitality, is now reduced to a leaking pipe, slowly draining away into the earth.
Overall, "Sow" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores some of the most fundamental aspects of life and death. Plath's use of vivid imagery and evocative language creates a sense of both wonder and horror, as she confronts the harsh realities of the natural world. The poem is a reminder of our own mortality and the ways in which we are all connected to the cycle of life and death.
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