One of the pieces of literature that I found really interesting were Sylvia Plath's poems, especially her famous Lady Lazarus. I wanted to allocate more time into it and dive deeper into the themes within this poem. What really stood out were the messages of death and rebirth that rooted in the poem. Plath uses language that reflects really intense themes, such as suicide, in a performance-like depiction. From Lady Lazarus I have chosen to focus on Sylvia Plath's biblical references, themes of control, and suicide depictions and really break down the lines of this poem to really highlight the message she was trying to say.
First off, the name "Lazarus" included in the name of Plath's poem connects to biblical themes that were mentioned in class, but not expanded upon. Lazarus is a figure in the Bible that was basically given a "second life" after he was resurrected. In Plath's poem, she makes references to this same sort of resurrection multiple times but with a different context. The line at the beginning of the poem, "I have done it again. One year in every ten" references to the pattern of death and return that she experiences, but unlike Lazarus who was rebirthed only once, she experiences this cycle over and over again after each suicide attempt she makes. Another quote from the poem is "I am only thirty. And like a cat I have nine times to die." which also strengthens this idea of Plath being resurrected just like Lazarus.
Another aspect of Sylvia Plath's Lazy Lazarus is the themes of control that are woven in her poem. The themes of control add context to Plath's repeated suicide attempts and allows the reader to understand that it isn't just an act of self destruction, but instead a way for her to reclaim a power for herself. She is able to control what happens to her and her fate and escape the overshadowing male authority figures she references. At the end of her poem she has the line, "out of the ash I rise with my red hair and eat men like air." which clearly states her acts of rebirth as a rebellion against male figures. Her resurrection is not a passive return- but instead a threat.
Finally, the careful depictions of suicide in Lady Lazarus add another layer to the already so complicated poem that Sylvia Plath wrote. The way she talks about her suicide attempts makes them less of something trivial to her, but more like a theatrical performance. She flips it to an art form. The line that reflects this states, "I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real." suggesting that her suffering enters a level of performance and something that other people find entertaining. I think the phrase "the peanut-crunching crowd" that she includes highlights that to her- these suicidal actions are nothing more than spectacle for curious crowds to see.
There are even more themes and elements hidden within this one poem Sylvia Plath wrote, and even just highlighting these three I feel that I have understood her perspective better. Her thoughts about herself and the world around her are much more deeper than I previously expected. She includes so much- everything from male authority to figures from the Bible. Her work is something to read over and over again and analyze until the end of time.
Hi Alyssa! I also wrote about Lady Lazarus and Esther's attempts in my blog and I definitely see some similarities. I really like Lady Lazarus because it does depict this other side of suicide attempts when you survive, and how people treat you. I think the spectacle point you bring up is really strong and that detail of the peanut crunching crowd just shows how death has become a show for her: to execute and impress. I feel like Sylvia Plath's poems are so introspective and are definitely timeless pieces of literature. Great post!
ReplyDeleteLady Lazarus is such a good poem and I definitely agree that she is trying to show her perspective on her life: unbothered by other people's opinions and fully restrained by her crippling depression. Hearing (and reading) this poem gave me such chills because it is such a matter of fact, yet beautiful way of comparing herself to everything that is scary or forbidden. I think in a way she understood her suicide way more than she let on in the Bell Jar and these poems of her show that particularly well. Awesome blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa, I really liked how you called to attention how people view her death and rebirth as some kind of spectacle. I agree that this poem is Sylvia Plath speaking against the patriarchal society, and I also think that it could relate to herself taking control of how her story of dealing with depression is told.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read Lady Lazarus I was also intrigued by Plath's references to Lazarus' rebirth, and the way she writes about her rebirth after suicide attempts makes me think she gets resurrected against her will, especially considering the "peanut-crunching crowd" you bring up. But as you point out, she begins to use it all as a threat to men instead, which reminds me of the events in the Bell Jar where Esther had dealt with particularly frustrating men.
ReplyDeleteOne of the many striking aspects of this scorched-earth poem is that "Lady Lazarus" (the speaker) doesn't necessarily seem to have CHOSEN to be repatched and brought back to life. I need to brush up on the biblical story of Lazarus, but my sense is that he is pretty pleased to have been brought back to life by Jesus. Lady Lazarus instead views her "saviors" as Nazi pseudo-scientists who are experimenting with her, not necessarily with her consent. An implied subtext here is Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_, where the "monster" is stitched together from "parts" (ick!) and brought to life, only to resent that he has consciousness and a sense of self (the most dramatic "I never asked to be born!" conflict in all of literature!). Lady Lazarus's Phoenix-like rebirth is the result of *others'* work on HER--and Plath's speaker relishes her own "monstrous" qualities, taunting "do I terrify?" and depicting her recovery as a dramatic burlesque performance that ends with a man-eating fire-woman rising from the ashes.
ReplyDeleteHello Alyssa! Your interpretation of the poem is super interesting. The stuff about her death and rebirth being a symbol of rebellion is such an interesting concept, and it really brings the poem together. A lot of the lines on their own were a bit confusing to me, but this definitely helped me piece it all together! Great blog!
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ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa, this is a really nice analysis of Lady Lazarus, especially your points on biblical allusions and control. I like how you highlight Plath’s suicides as both a performance and an act of rebellion. It's really interesting that the suffering she experiences seems like 'entertainment' to others. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHi Alyssa! I'm glad you brought up the slightly empowering messaging in Lady Lazarus, becuase I thought that was such an interesting detail in a poem about suicide, which isn't the most empoweing thing. I think you do a really good job highlighting the way that Plath seems to play with the idea of her own suicide, and how she almost jokingly uses it as a threat, playing into her own "crazy" just like Esther did in the mental hospital. Good post!
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