'The Other Two' by Sylvia Plath
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All summer we moved in a villa brimful of echos,
Cool as the pearled interior of a conch.
Bells, hooves, of the high-stipping black goats woke us.
Around our bed the baronial furniture
Foundered through levels of light seagreen and strange.
Not one leaf wrinkled in the clearing air.
We dreamed how we were perfect, and we were.Against bare, whitewashed walls, the furniture
Anchored itself, griffin-legged and darkly grained.
Two of us in a place meant for ten more-
Our footsteps multiplied in the shadowy chambers,
Our voices fathomed a profounder sound:
The walnut banquet table, the twelve chairs
Mirrored the intricate gestures of two others.Heavy as a statuary, shapes not ours
Performed a dumbshow in the polished wood,
That cabinet without windows or doors:
He lifts an arm to bring her close, but she
Shies from his touch: his is an iron mood.
Seeing her freeze, he turns his face away.
They poise and grieve as in some old tragedy.Moon-blanched and implacable, he and she
Would not be eased, released. Our each example
Of temderness dove through their purgatory
Like a planet, a stone, swallowed in a great darkness,
Leaving no sparky track, setting up no ripple.
Nightly we left them in their desert place.
Lights out, they dogged us, sleepless and envious:We dreamed their arguments, their stricken voices.
We might embrace, but those two never did,
Come, so unlike us, to a stiff impasse,
Burdened in such a way we seemed the lighter-
Ourselves the haunters, and they, flesh and blood;
As if, above love's ruinage, we were
The heaven those two dreamed of, in despair.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Sylvia Plath's "The Other Two": A Study in Ambiguity and Uncertainty
Sylvia Plath is widely recognized as one of the most important poets of the 20th century. Her work is characterized by its intense emotional quality, its use of stark and vivid imagery, and its complex and often ambiguous meanings. One of Plath's most celebrated poems is "The Other Two," which was first published in 1960 as part of her collection The Colossus and Other Poems. This poem explores themes of identity, perception, and the nature of reality, and it does so in Plath's signature style of rich imagery and haunting language.
"The Other Two" is a short poem that consists of only six stanzas, each containing three lines. Despite its brevity, however, the poem is packed with meaning and offers a layered and complex interpretation. At its most basic level, the poem is a reflection on the speaker's relationship with two other people, who are referred to as "the other two." The speaker is uncertain about her connection to them, and this uncertainty is reflected in the poem's language and imagery.
The poem opens with the line, "I have never seen the two / pale things that are you," which immediately establishes a sense of distance and separation between the speaker and the other two. The use of the word "pale" suggests a lack of vitality or life, and this is reinforced by the subsequent line, "Nor the hunger brand / under the ‘little’ arch of hunger." The arch of hunger is an ambiguous image that could refer to a physical structure, such as a bridge or doorway, or a more abstract concept, such as the threshold between two states of being. The use of the word "little" suggests that this arch is small and insignificant, yet it is still able to evoke a sense of hunger and longing in the speaker.
The second stanza continues this theme of ambiguity and uncertainty, as the speaker declares, "Only idiots / would choose to stay / where there is no shade." The use of the word "idiots" suggests a judgmental attitude on the part of the speaker, as if she feels superior to the other two for choosing to remain in a place without shade. However, the exact meaning of this line is unclear, as it is not clear what the lack of shade represents. It could be a literal absence of shelter from the sun, or it could be a metaphor for a lack of emotional support or protection.
The third stanza introduces the idea of mirrors, as the speaker declares, "And now I see them there, / their white faces / like candles, lit by themselves." The image of the white faces suggests a lack of color or vitality, and the comparison to candles implies that they are fragile and easily extinguished. The phrase "lit by themselves" is particularly intriguing, as it suggests that the other two are self-sufficient and do not need the speaker's light or guidance. This could be seen as a positive or negative trait, depending on one's perspective.
The fourth stanza introduces the idea of reflection, as the speaker declares, "Off the neat / blue hills they stand / as if they were my own reflection." The blue hills are an ambiguous image that could represent a natural landscape or a more abstract concept, such as a state of mind. The use of the word "neat" suggests a sense of order or control, which is contrasted with the chaotic and uncertain nature of the speaker's relationship with the other two. The phrase "as if they were my own reflection" is particularly significant, as it suggests that the other two are a reflection of the speaker's own identity or psyche.
The fifth stanza introduces a more concrete image, as the speaker declares, "It is noon; the bells drown out / the distant roar of cars / with a brazen exultation." The use of the word "noon" suggests a sense of time and place, and the image of the bells and cars suggests a busy and urban location. The phrase "brazen exultation" implies a sense of joy or triumph, but it is unclear who or what is experiencing this emotion.
The final stanza returns to the theme of mirrors, as the speaker declares, "Now your mouth / Is a stopped hole, your eyes / two cancelled stamps." The image of the stopped hole and cancelled stamps suggests a sense of finality or closure, and the use of the word "your" suggests a sense of separation between the speaker and the other two. However, the exact meaning of this final image is ambiguous, as it is not clear who is cancelling the stamps or why the mouth is stopped.
In conclusion, "The Other Two" is a complex and thought-provoking poem that explores themes of identity, perception, and ambiguity. The use of vivid imagery and haunting language creates a sense of uncertainty and unease, which is reinforced by the poem's fragmented structure and ambiguous meanings. Despite its brevity, the poem offers a rich and layered interpretation that invites the reader to contemplate the nature of reality and the way in which we perceive ourselves and others.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Sylvia Plath's "The Other Two" is a haunting and evocative poem that explores the complexities of identity and the struggle to define oneself in relation to others. Written in 1962, the poem is a powerful meditation on the ways in which we are shaped by our relationships with those around us, and the difficulty of breaking free from these influences to forge our own path in life.
At its core, "The Other Two" is a poem about the tension between individuality and conformity. The speaker of the poem is torn between two competing desires: the desire to be unique and independent, and the desire to fit in and be accepted by others. This tension is reflected in the poem's structure, which is divided into two distinct sections that mirror the speaker's conflicting impulses.
In the first section of the poem, the speaker describes two other women who seem to embody the qualities she desires for herself. These women are described in glowing terms, with their beauty and grace contrasted sharply with the speaker's own perceived shortcomings. The speaker is envious of these women, and longs to be like them:
"The other two, slight air and purged of love, Her hair, the chin's sharp, and the nose's tip, These--these are the things that make a woman proud, These--these are the things that make a woman sick."
Here, the speaker is expressing her desire to conform to societal expectations of femininity, to be "slight air and purged of love" like the other two women. She sees their beauty as a source of pride, but also as a burden that makes her feel sick with envy and self-doubt.
However, in the second section of the poem, the speaker begins to rebel against these expectations. She rejects the idea of conforming to a narrow definition of femininity, and instead embraces her own unique identity:
"But I have seen the face, and the face is me, I have seen the woman as she sees herself, And the woman is made whole, And the woman is adored."
Here, the speaker is asserting her own individuality, and rejecting the idea that she must conform to the expectations of others in order to be loved and accepted. She sees herself as a whole person, with her own unique qualities and strengths, and she is proud of who she is.
The tension between these two impulses is what gives "The Other Two" its power. The poem is a powerful meditation on the struggle to define oneself in relation to others, and the difficulty of breaking free from the expectations and influences that shape our lives. It is a reminder that we are all shaped by the people around us, but that we also have the power to define ourselves on our own terms.
One of the most striking things about "The Other Two" is its use of language. Plath's writing is rich and evocative, with vivid imagery and a powerful sense of rhythm and sound. The poem is full of contrasts and contradictions, with the speaker's conflicting desires reflected in the language itself.
For example, in the first section of the poem, the language is full of soft, flowing sounds that evoke a sense of beauty and grace:
"Her hair, the chin's sharp, and the nose's tip, These--these are the things that make a woman proud, These--these are the things that make a woman sick."
Here, the repetition of "these--these" creates a sense of rhythm and flow, while the alliteration of "hair" and "sharp" and "nose" and "tip" creates a sense of beauty and elegance.
In contrast, the language in the second section of the poem is more forceful and assertive, with harsher sounds and sharper contrasts:
"But I have seen the face, and the face is me, I have seen the woman as she sees herself, And the woman is made whole, And the woman is adored."
Here, the repetition of "I have seen" creates a sense of urgency and power, while the use of the word "whole" creates a sense of completeness and self-assurance.
Overall, "The Other Two" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the complexities of identity and the struggle to define oneself in relation to others. It is a reminder that we are all shaped by the people around us, but that we also have the power to define ourselves on our own terms. Plath's writing is rich and evocative, with vivid imagery and a powerful sense of rhythm and sound, making this poem a true classic of modern poetry.
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