'A Lesson In Vengeance' by Sylvia Plath

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In the dour ages
Of drafty cells and draftier castles,
Of dragons breathing without the frame of fables,
Saint and king unfisted obstruction's knuckles
By no miracle or majestic means,But by such abuses
As smack of spite and the overscrupulous
Twisting of thumbscrews: one soul tied in sinews,
One white horse drowned, and all the unconquered pinnacles
Of God's city and Babylon'sMust wait, while here Suso's
Hand hones his tack and needles,
Scouraging to sores his own red sluices
For the relish of heaven, relentless, dousing with prickles
Of horsehair and lice his horny loins;
While there irate Cyrus
Squanders a summer and the brawn of his heroes
To rebuke the horse-swallowing River Gyndes:
He split it into three hundred and sixty trickles
A girl could wade without wetting her shins.Still, latter-day sages,
Smiling at this behavior, subjugating their enemies
Neatly, nicely, by disbelief or bridges,
Never grip, as the grandsires did, that devil who chuckles
From grain of the marrow and the river-bed grains.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance: A Critical Analysis

Sylvia Plath's Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance is a powerful and evocative collection of poems that explores the themes of love, loss, and revenge. Plath's poetic style is characterized by its intense imagery, striking metaphors, and sharp use of language. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will closely examine the themes, symbolism, and literary devices used in Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance to provide a deeper understanding of the collection.

Background Information

Sylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist, and short-story writer. She is best known for her confessional poetry and her semi-autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar. Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1932, and grew up in a well-educated and affluent family. She attended Smith College, where she excelled academically and won several awards for her writing. After graduating, she received a Fulbright scholarship to study at Cambridge University, where she met and married the poet Ted Hughes. Plath's life was marked by a series of personal struggles, including her father's death, her own mental illness, and her tumultuous marriage to Hughes. She committed suicide in 1963, at the age of thirty.

Themes

One of the central themes of Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance is the complex and often destructive nature of human relationships. Plath's poems explore the power dynamics that exist between lovers, the emotional turmoil that comes with unrequited love, and the bitter aftermath of romantic betrayal. In "Mad Girl's Love Song," for example, the speaker describes a love that is both all-consuming and unattainable:

"I lift my lids and all is born again. (I think I made you up inside my head.)"

Here, the speaker's love for her beloved is so intense that she wonders if he is even real. The poem's haunting refrain, "I think I made you up inside my head," captures the speaker's sense of disorientation and confusion as she struggles to come to terms with the reality of her situation.

Another important theme in Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance is the idea of vengeance and the desire for revenge. Plath's poems are marked by a sense of anger and bitterness that stems from the speaker's experiences of betrayal and heartbreak. In "Daddy," for example, the speaker addresses her deceased father, who is portrayed as a tyrannical figure who has caused her immense pain:

"Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time—— Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one gray toe Big as a Frisco seal"

The poem's powerful language and vivid imagery convey the speaker's rage and her desire to take revenge on her father for the harm he has caused her.

Symbolism

Plath's use of symbolism is another important aspect of Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance. Throughout the collection, she employs a range of symbols to convey complex emotions and ideas. One of the most potent symbols in the collection is the figure of the mirror, which appears in several of Plath's poems. In "Mirror," for example, the speaker describes a mirror that reflects back not only the physical appearance of the person looking into it, but also their innermost thoughts and desires:

"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions. Whatever I see I swallow immediately Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike."

Here, the mirror is a metaphor for the quest for self-knowledge, and the speaker's desire to see herself clearly and without illusion.

Another important symbol in Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance is the figure of the father. In "Daddy," for example, the speaker's father is portrayed as a powerful and oppressive figure who dominates the speaker's life:

"Every woman adores a Fascist, The boot in the face, the brute Brute heart of a brute like you."

Here, the father represents not only the speaker's own father, but also the patriarchal structures that have governed her life and her relationships with men.

Literary Devices

Plath's use of literary devices is also an important aspect of Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance. Throughout the collection, she employs a range of devices, including alliteration, repetition, and imagery, to create a powerful and evocative atmosphere. In "Lady Lazarus," for example, Plath uses repetition to convey the sense of the speaker's own death and rebirth:

"Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well."

Here, the repetition of the word "dying" emphasizes the speaker's sense of mastery over her own mortality, and the idea that death is something that can be performed and perfected like any other skill.

Plath's use of imagery is also particularly striking in Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance. In "Ariel," for example, the speaker describes a horse in the throes of a violent and uncontrollable frenzy:

"Stasis in darkness. Then the substanceless blue Pour of tor and distances. God's lioness, How one we grow, Pivot of heels and knees!—"

Here, the horse becomes a metaphor for the speaker's own wild and unpredictable emotions, and the sense of being caught up in a frenzy that is beyond her control.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sylvia Plath's Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance is a powerful and evocative collection of poems that explores the themes of love, loss, and revenge. Plath's use of symbolism, literary devices, and vivid imagery creates a haunting and visceral atmosphere that lingers long after the poems have been read. Through her poems, Plath offers a complex and nuanced exploration of the emotions and experiences that define the human condition, and the impact that they can have on our lives and relationships. Poetry, A Lesson In Vengeance is a testament to Plath's skill and artistry as a poet, and to her enduring legacy as one of the most important voices in modern literature.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry A Lesson In Vengeance: A Masterpiece of Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers around the world. Her poem, "Poetry A Lesson In Vengeance," is a masterpiece that showcases her exceptional talent and unique style. In this article, we will delve into the poem's meaning, structure, and literary devices, and explore why it is considered one of Plath's most significant works.

The poem begins with a powerful statement: "You do not do, you do not do, any more, black shoe." The repetition of "you do not do" emphasizes the speaker's frustration and anger towards the subject, who is identified as a "black shoe." The use of the color black suggests something dark and ominous, and the shoe could represent a person or an object that has caused the speaker pain or discomfort. The first line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is filled with a sense of vengeance and retribution.

The second stanza continues with the theme of revenge, as the speaker declares, "In which I have lived like a foot for thirty years, poor and white, barely daring to breathe or Achoo." The metaphor of living like a foot suggests that the speaker has been stepped on and ignored for a long time. The use of the word "Achoo" adds a touch of humor to the poem, but it also highlights the speaker's fear of speaking out and standing up for herself.

The third stanza is where the poem takes a turn, as the speaker declares, "Daddy, I have had to kill you." The use of the word "Daddy" suggests that the subject of the poem is the speaker's father, and the line implies that the speaker has had to metaphorically kill him in order to move on from the pain and trauma he has caused her. The rest of the stanza is filled with violent imagery, as the speaker describes how she has "stuffed her foot down the boot" and "cut off her hand" in order to sever ties with her father.

The fourth stanza continues with the theme of violence, as the speaker declares, "If I've killed one man, I've killed two." The use of the word "man" suggests that the speaker is not just talking about her father, but also about the patriarchal society that has oppressed her. The line "The vampire who said he was you and drank my blood for a year" suggests that the speaker has been victimized by someone who claimed to be her father, but was actually a metaphorical vampire who drained her of her life force.

The fifth stanza is where the poem takes a turn towards redemption, as the speaker declares, "I think I may well be a Jew." The use of the word "Jew" suggests that the speaker has found a new identity, one that is not defined by her father or the patriarchal society that has oppressed her. The line "I have always been scared of you, with your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo" suggests that the speaker has been oppressed by someone who is associated with the Nazi regime, which adds a layer of historical and political significance to the poem.

The sixth and final stanza is where the poem reaches its climax, as the speaker declares, "There's a stake in your fat black heart, and the villagers never liked you." The use of the word "stake" suggests that the speaker has metaphorically killed her father, and the line "the villagers never liked you" suggests that the speaker is not alone in her hatred of him. The final line, "They are dancing and stamping on you. They always knew it was you," suggests that the speaker has finally found a sense of closure and vindication, as the people who have oppressed her are now dancing and celebrating her victory.

The structure of the poem is also significant, as it is written in free verse with no set rhyme or meter. This allows Plath to experiment with different forms and structures, and to convey a sense of chaos and disorder that mirrors the speaker's emotional state. The use of repetition, such as the repeated phrase "you do not do," adds a sense of urgency and intensity to the poem, while the use of enjambment, where lines run on without punctuation, creates a sense of flow and movement that mirrors the speaker's journey towards redemption.

The poem is also filled with literary devices, such as metaphors, allusions, and imagery. The metaphor of living like a foot, for example, is a powerful image that conveys the speaker's sense of being stepped on and ignored. The use of the word "vampire" is also significant, as it suggests that the speaker has been victimized by someone who has drained her of her life force. The allusion to the Nazi regime, with the mention of the Luftwaffe and gobbledygoo, adds a layer of historical and political significance to the poem, and highlights the speaker's sense of being oppressed by a larger system.

In conclusion, "Poetry A Lesson In Vengeance" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that showcases Sylvia Plath's exceptional talent and unique style. The poem is filled with powerful imagery, intense emotions, and a sense of redemption that is both cathartic and empowering. It is a poem that speaks to the human experience of pain, trauma, and oppression, and offers a message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

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