'Lady Lazarus' by Sylvia Plath
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I have done it again.
One year in every ten
I manage it----
A sort of walking miracle, my skin
Bright as a Nazi lampshade,
My right foot
A paperweight,
My face a featureless, fine
Jew linen.
Peel off the napkin
0 my enemy.
Do I terrify?----
The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth?
The sour breath
Will vanish in a day.
Soon, soon the flesh
The grave cave ate will be
At home on me
And I a smiling woman.
I am only thirty.
And like the cat I have nine times to die.
This is Number Three.
What a trash
To annihilate each decade.
What a million filaments.
The peanut-crunching crowd
Shoves in to see
Them unwrap me hand and foot
The big strip tease.
Gentlemen, ladies
These are my hands
My knees.
I may be skin and bone,
Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman.
The first time it happened I was ten.
It was an accident.
The second time I meant
To last it out and not come back at all.
I rocked shut
As a seashell.
They had to call and call
And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls.
Dying
Is an art, like everything else,
I do it exceptionally well.
I do it so it feels like hell.
I do it so it feels real.
I guess you could say I've a call.
It's easy enough to do it in a cell.
It's easy enough to do it and stay put.
It's the theatrical
Comeback in broad day
To the same place, the same face, the same brute
Amused shout:
'A miracle!'
That knocks me out.
There is a charge
For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge
For the hearing of my heart----
It really goes.
And there is a charge, a very large charge
For a word or a touch
Or a bit of blood
Or a piece of my hair or my clothes.
So, so, Herr Doktor.
So, Herr Enemy.
I am your opus,
I am your valuable,
The pure gold baby
That melts to a shriek.
I turn and burn.
Do not think I underestimate your great concern.
Ash, ash ---
You poke and stir.
Flesh, bone, there is nothing there----
A cake of soap,
A wedding ring,
A gold filling.
Herr God, Herr Lucifer
Beware
Beware.
Out of the ash
I rise with my red hair
And I eat men like air.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Lady Lazarus" by Sylvia Plath - An Analysis
Sylvia Plath's "Lady Lazarus" is a haunting poem that delves into the themes of death, rebirth, and self-expression. The poem is a confessional piece that showcases Plath's intense emotions and her struggle with mental illness. In this analysis, we will explore the various literary devices and techniques that Plath uses to convey her message and the deeper meanings behind the poem.
Context and Background
Before we dive into the poem, it is important to understand the background and context in which it was written. Plath was a prolific writer and poet who struggled with depression and other mental health issues throughout her life. She was known for her confessional style of writing, which was characterized by her raw and honest portrayal of her experiences and emotions.
"Lady Lazarus" was written in 1962, just a year before Plath's death by suicide. It was first published in "Ariel," a collection of poems that was published posthumously in 1965. The poem is widely regarded as one of Plath's best works and has been the subject of much literary analysis and interpretation.
Structure and Form
"Lady Lazarus" is a free-verse poem that is divided into three stanzas. Each stanza consists of ten lines, and the poem has a total of thirty lines. The poem does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter, which gives Plath the freedom to experiment with language and form.
The lack of a traditional rhyme scheme or meter also adds to the poem's overall sense of chaos and uncertainty. The poem's structure mirrors the narrator's state of mind, which is fragmented and disjointed. The poem's lack of structure also adds to the reader's overall sense of unease and discomfort.
Themes and Motifs
"Lady Lazarus" is a complex poem that explores a variety of themes and motifs. One of the most prominent themes in the poem is death and rebirth. The poem is structured around the concept of resurrection, with the narrator comparing herself to Lazarus, the character from the Bible who was brought back to life by Jesus.
The poem's opening lines, "I have done it again. / One year in every ten / I manage it——" set the tone for the rest of the poem. The narrator is referring to her suicide attempts, which she compares to a performance. The repetition of the phrase "I have done it again" emphasizes the narrator's sense of detachment from her own actions.
The poem also explores the theme of self-expression and the importance of being true to oneself. The narrator is unapologetically herself, even in the face of death. She refuses to conform to societal expectations or to be silenced by others. The poem's final lines, "Out of the ash / I rise with my red hair / And I eat men like air," showcase the narrator's strength and resilience.
Imagery and Symbolism
Plath uses a variety of literary devices and techniques to create vivid imagery and symbolism in "Lady Lazarus." One of the most striking images in the poem is the repeated reference to the narrator's body. The narrator describes her body in gruesome detail, referring to it as a "peanut-crunching crowd" and a "cake of soap." These images are jarring and unsettling, adding to the overall sense of discomfort that the poem creates.
The poem also makes use of a number of symbolic motifs. The most prominent of these is the image of the Nazi concentration camps. The narrator compares herself to a Jew and describes herself as a "walking miracle." This comparison is meant to highlight the narrator's sense of persecution and her struggle to survive in a world that wants to destroy her.
The image of the phoenix is another important symbol in the poem. The phoenix is a mythical bird that is said to rise from the ashes of its own destruction. The narrator compares herself to the phoenix, suggesting that she too has the ability to resurrect herself after each suicide attempt.
Tone and Mood
The tone and mood of "Lady Lazarus" are both extremely intense and confrontational. The narrator is angry and bitter, railing against the forces that have tried to destroy her. The poem is marked by a sense of defiance, with the narrator refusing to be silenced or to conform to societal expectations.
The overall mood of the poem is dark and unsettling. The repeated references to death and suicide create a sense of unease, while the narrator's graphic descriptions of her body add to the poem's overall sense of discomfort.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Lady Lazarus" is a powerful and haunting poem that showcases Sylvia Plath's talent as a writer and poet. The poem explores a variety of themes and motifs, including death, rebirth, self-expression, and persecution. Plath's use of literary devices and techniques creates vivid imagery and symbolism, while the poem's structure and form mirror the narrator's fragmented state of mind. "Lady Lazarus" is a complex and challenging poem that deserves to be read and analyzed by anyone who is interested in the power of language and the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Lady Lazarus: A Poem of Resurrection and Rebirth
Sylvia Plath’s Lady Lazarus is a haunting and powerful poem that explores themes of death, rebirth, and the struggle for identity. Written in 1962, just a few months before Plath’s own suicide, the poem is a reflection of the author’s own struggles with mental illness and her desire for a new beginning.
The poem is structured in three parts, each of which explores different aspects of the speaker’s experience. In the first part, the speaker introduces herself as Lady Lazarus, a reference to the biblical figure who was raised from the dead by Jesus. The speaker describes herself as a “walking miracle” who has survived multiple suicide attempts and has been “resurrected” each time.
The second part of the poem is a vivid and disturbing description of the speaker’s attempted suicides. She describes herself as a “peanut-crunching crowd” that watches her die over and over again, only to be brought back to life. The imagery in this section is graphic and unsettling, with references to blood, fire, and the “smell of burning.”
In the final section of the poem, the speaker declares her triumph over death and her determination to live on. She proclaims that she is “the Phoenix” and that she will rise from the ashes of her past. The poem ends with a powerful image of the speaker’s rebirth, as she sheds her old skin and emerges “perfectly pure.”
One of the most striking aspects of Lady Lazarus is its use of imagery. Plath’s descriptions of death and rebirth are visceral and intense, with images that are both beautiful and grotesque. The use of fire, for example, is a recurring motif throughout the poem. In the second section, the speaker describes herself as a “red balloon” that is “ready to burst” and “burn, burn, burn.” This image of self-immolation is both horrifying and mesmerizing, drawing the reader into the speaker’s experience.
Another powerful image in the poem is that of the “peanut-crunching crowd.” This image represents the voyeuristic nature of society, which watches the speaker’s struggles with a sense of detachment and amusement. The use of the word “peanut” is particularly effective, as it suggests a casual, almost trivial attitude towards the speaker’s suffering.
The theme of identity is also central to Lady Lazarus. The speaker’s repeated references to her own resurrection suggest a desire for a new beginning, a chance to shed her old identity and start anew. This desire is reflected in the final lines of the poem, where the speaker declares that she has “risen again” and is “perfectly pure.” This image of rebirth suggests a transformation, a shedding of the old self and the emergence of a new, stronger identity.
Lady Lazarus is a complex and challenging poem that rewards careful analysis. Its themes of death, rebirth, and identity are universal and timeless, and its use of imagery is both powerful and evocative. As a reflection of Sylvia Plath’s own struggles with mental illness and her desire for a new beginning, the poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the human experience in all its complexity and beauty.
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