Tag Archives: Sylvia Plath

“Daddy” by Sylvia Plath

Poem "Daddy" is a pure scream of primal rage

Anger is a natural part of the grieving process. In her poem “Daddy,” American poet Sylvia Plath expresses rage at her father for his treatment of her when he was alive and for his untimely death. Plath was born in … Continue reading

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“Last Words” by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath's funeral poem imagines what her ideal burial would look like

Sylvia Plath was both haunted and mesmerized by death. Suffering from depression at an early age, Plath’s poetry deeply encapsulates how she felt about dying. Her depression often evaporated her fear of death, which gave her a novel perspective on … Continue reading

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“Daddy” by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath’s famous poem, “Daddy,” explores the five stages of grief

Mourning the loss of a father, regardless of the status of a child’s relationship to him, is never easy. One of my absolute favorite poets, Sylvia Plath, wrote a poem called “Daddy” in 1962 shortly before her suicide. Plath’s “Daddy” … Continue reading

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”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 have a call.”

- Sylvia Plath

Read the entire poem, “Lady Lazarus”, here. More in “A Rite of Passage”: 

Memorial Music: “Kettering” by The Antlers “If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One’s destination is never a … Continue reading

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“The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath

On this fiftieth anniversary of The Bell Jar, we look at one of Plath’s most complex characters

Recently, The Guardian posted a tribute to Sylvia Plath with reflections from writers such as Jennifer Egan and Lena Dunham. Published fifty years ago, Sylvia Plath createdin The Bell Jar a surprisingly relatable suicidal character that navigates womanhood in 1950’s … Continue reading

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 The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Semi-autobiographical novel reflects Plath's own struggles with depression and suicidal tendencies

Sylvia Plath’s life reads like a tragedy. A gifted writer and poet from an early age, she struggled with depression starting in her teenage years. She married poet Ted Hughes, with whom she shared a tumultuous relationship and two children. … Continue reading

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