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Sylvia Plath: A Troubled Soul

Sylvia Plath: A Troubled Soul . Michelle Borukhov, Marina Barron, Grace Medico, Nishitha Burman. 42. Her Life In The Making.

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Sylvia Plath: A Troubled Soul

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  1. Sylvia Plath: A Troubled Soul Michelle Borukhov, Marina Barron, Grace Medico, Nishitha Burman. 42

  2. Her Life In The Making... Sylvia Plath was a talented American poet, novelist and short story writer born in October 27, 1932, Massachusetts. Sylvia Plath was born to Aurelia Schober Plath and Otto Plath and has one older brother Warren Plath. Plath’s talent was blooming from the time she was a little girl. She published her first poem in the Boston Herald’s children’s section and, in addition to that she won an award for her paintings from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in 1947. Although Plath led a very talented and gifted life, she faced many afflicted obstacles in her life. Depression was a major dispute in her life. Depression began in her life from the time her father died of diabetes in November 5, 1940. Plath was only eight years old when her father died. As Plath has said, the first nine years "sealed themselves off like a ship in a bottle—beautiful inaccessible, obsolete, a fine, white flying myth" (Wikipedia). In 1950 Sylvia Plath enrolled in Smith College and excelled there academically. She was the editor of the Smith Review and was awarded guest editor at Mademoiselle Magazine while she was away at New York City. She regretted greatly not being able to be there to meet her favorite poet Dylan Thomas whom she loved “more than life itself” said one of her boyfriend. Not being able to meet him torn her up and she attempted at suicide many times by slashing her legs. She also took more attempts to suicide by taking her mom’s sleeping pills. She survived the attempts and was put in a psychiatric care for six months where she was received electric and insulin shock treatment. After her recovery she returned to college and graduated Smith with the highest honors. She also obtained a Fulbright Scholarship to Newnham College, Cambridge where she continued working on poetry and publishing her work.

  3. College Days +Everything Else…. Continuing her life at Cambridge, Sylvia Plath met Ted Hughes who was also a poet, at a celebration. They got married a few months after on June 16, 1956. They both traveled to many places and continued writing poetry while keeping an open mind and excelling in other fields like astrology. They had their first child, Daughter Frieda on April 1, 1960. After her birth Plath published her first collection of poetry The Colossus. In February 1961 she ended her second pregnancy in a miscarriage which led her to depression and writing poems on miscarriages. Then she finished her semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar. After, she had her second child, son Nicholas in January 1962. In 1969 when they rented their flat to Assia and David Wevill, Hughes was struck by Assia’s beauty and was discovered having an affair with Assia Wevill. In September Plath and Huges separated. This added on to Plath’s depression. She had a car accident which was described as one of her many attempts at suicide. She returned to London with her two children two years and nine months by herself. She continued her poetry and wrote at least 26 poems of her collection Ariel. Her depression returned bur she finished her collection which was published after her death. Plath alone was raising two children and Dr. John Horder a friend of her tried helping her out in many ways. He prescribed her antidepressants and arranged a live-in nurse. On the morning of February 11, 1963 the nurse was supposed to arrive to help but could not get in her flat. When they eventually got in Plath was found dead of monoxide poisoning in the kitchen with her head in the oven with the rooms between her and the children sealed with wet cloth and towels. She placed her head in the oven with the gas turned on at exactly 4:30 a.m (Wikipedia). Although Plath faced many complications in her life, she was a very talented and gifted lady who excelled very much academically. Her works are still valued and studied by kids and people all over the world. They carry great meaning and give an insight to the life of a troubled soul.

  4. So What Was Going On In The World.... The 1950's were very different times, during which a woman's social standing was below that of men. Women were typically confined to the household, purposed to being a domestic housewife, serving their husband and focusing on the upbringing of a family and children. Although many women sought to challenge the social normitive placed upon them, job opportunities were highly limited and their choices were restricted to working in factories, on farms, behind the counters of a store or as secretaries. Such jobs provided limited opportunity and often unsuitable conditions for raising a family. For most women, the 1950's were typically known as "the era of the housewife." Men were generally considered the providers of a family, thus holding a position of superiority within the household and similarly within society. Women on the other hand were intended for the raising of an ideal family, and the maintenance of a secure, stable and calm household. Beneath such pressing societal pressure, many women found themselves dropping out of college and giving up on career dreams and individuality in order to become society's "perfect woman." Society provided endless opportunity for men in furthering themselves, but provided a repressive and constrictive environment by way of high expectation and importance on public image and behavior. The delegated positions for women were that of the obedient and caring wife and mother, gracefully maintaining a tranquil home for a husband to return to. The template for women in these times was ironclad and women that sought to break the mold deliberately crafted to keep them subservient in the household found difficulty advancing. Societal roles were standard, but slowly changing in favor of women as they began to uphold a greater standing in the labor workforce following World War II. Simply put, they were bored weaving, mending, and maintaining in the household and many sought something more intellectually stimulating. Sylvia Plath was one such women, whose achievements as a successful poet and writer are accentuated by the times that harbored her growth and development.

  5. "Cinderella" The prince leans to the girl in scarlet heels, Her green eyes slant, hair flaring in a fan Of silver as the rondo slows; now reels Begin on tilted violins to span The whole revolving tall glass palace hall Where guests slide gliding into light like wine; Rose candles flicker on the lilac wall Reflecting in a million flagons' shine, And glided couples all in whirling trance Follow holiday revel begun long since, Until near twelve the strange girl all at once Guilt-stricken halts, pales, clings to the prince As amid the hectic music and cocktail talk She hears the caustic ticking of the clock.

  6. This Is What We Think Of It..... In this poem, Plath paints a picture of a magical night. A night with dancing, music and a prince. Plath uses words like leaning, slanting, reeling, tilting, revolving, etc. to depict a night of movement and fluidity. A night of enchantment and beauty but then something happens, something clicks. Just as it is in the fairy tale, Cinderella, at the strike of midnight, her night comes to a halting stop and suddenly, the night isn’t magical anymore. With “guilt-stricken halts” and “pales”, the night becomes one of a tiresome mess.

  7. The Meaning Is Revealed.... This short adaptation of the Cinderella fairy tale focuses on the moment when Cinderella dances with Prince Charming at the ball. In Plath's telling, the prince leans into the girl with her scarlet heels, green eyes, and "fan / Of silver" hair as they dance together and the violins play. Guests glide about while candles flicker on the walls, reflecting in the wine glasses of the happy partygoers. The couples dance together "in whirling trance." At twelve, the girl suddenly becomes "guilt-stricken," and clings to her prince as she hears the "caustic" clock tick amid the music and the chatter. So what of the sweet "Cinderella"? It appears to be a mere retelling of the moment in which Cinderella dances with her prince and hears the clock chime midnight, thus signaling the end of her magical evening. Even were this all the poem offered, Plath offers an effectively atmospheric adaptation in it. She is masterful at creating the sense of movement that Cinderella feels, through the use of words like "reels," "revolving," "slide," "gliding," and "whirling." She also sets the glamorous and romantic mood through images of candles flickering, "gilded couples," a glass hall, and sparkling wineglasses. If nothing else, she captures the glorious fairytale atmosphere that has captivated little girls for centuries. However, despite the beauty and putative lightness of the scene, the specter of the chiming clock hangs over the poem, much like the clock in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Masque of the Red Death" portends doom for his revelers. Cinderella, who is immersed in dancing, hears the clock chiming in its "caustic" manner, thus signaling that her time is up. She "clings to the prince" and becomes pale and "guilt-stricken." Most readers know what comes next: she tears herself away from him and retreats quickly, leaving only a slipper. There are two elements, though, that confound the generally simplistic telling. The first is the adjective "guilt-stricken," which makes Cinderella into a criminal in her own mind. She has not captured the glory that she is owed, but rather considers herself an usurper, a cheat. It is definitely possible to use a feminist interpretation, in that the woman feels guilty for attempting to capture the man she loves. Secondly, Plath changes the slipper's quality, from gold to scarlet. This shift makes the slipper seem more contemporary, which also makes it possible to read the poem as more of a comment on contemporary woman than as simply an atmospheric adaptation.

  8. Some critics have even posited that the poem attempts much more than the basic story. They comment that the clock, which is a symbol for the passing of time, is hearkening not only the end of Cinderella's evening, but the imminent arrival of old age. Indeed, one of Plath's most frequent concerns in her poetry is the fear over the loss of youth and beauty, and this poem may very well be alluding to that same theme. Axelrod reads more autonomy into the titular character, commenting that "the outsider protagonist liberates herself from feminine stereotype, gaining more in autonomy than she loses in social standing and sensual gratification." He is perhaps referring to her assumption of a new self that, while interested in attaining the favor of a prince, was also a very public and independent figure, and one that did not shy away from engaging in the activities that were most pleasurable and absorbing. Of course, even if one takes this direction in interpreting the poem, it is undeniable that Plath has not yet mastered her ability to capture such contradictions and complications with ease and subtlety. "Follow holiday revel begun long since, Until near twelve the strange girl all at once Guilt-stricken halts, pales, clings to the prince" This is her fear of the end of youth. The ticking of the clock, midnight nears and she fears the end of her magical youth. Finally, loss of life. The ticking of the clock is "caustic," which is a very harsh word. The imagery of the clock makes one think of one's lifespan and how it is finite. The clock striking midnight will end the life that Cinderella has created for herself.

  9. A Mad Girl's Love Song "I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead; I lift my lids and all is born again. (I think I made you up inside my head.) The stars go waltzing out in blue and red, And arbitrary blackness gallops in: I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane. (I think I made you up inside my head.) God topples from the sky, hell's fires fade: Exit seraphim and Satan's men: I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. I fancied you'd return the way you said, But I grow old and I forget your name. (I think I made you up inside my head.) I should have loved a thunderbird instead; At least when spring comes they roar back again. I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead. (I think I made you up inside my head.)"

  10. More Of What We Think Of.... In this poem, Sylvia Plath creates a feeling of fear. The line, “I shut my eyes…”, presents a picture of being afraid or tired of something. In the second stanza, Plath writes, “arbitrary darkness” which refers to the idea of depression. Throughout the poem, Plath describes her constant battle with reality and with herself. Whether or not what she has thought to be reality, truly is, or if everything she believed in, was just made up inside her head.

  11. Another Mystery Revealed.... “Mad Girl’s Love Song” by Sylvia Plath is a poem about a girl who spent her whole life waiting for a man she gave herself to, against her beliefs, who was never to return. The most visible device the author used in this book is repetition. One phrase the narrator repeats is “(I think I made you up inside my head).” The emphasis repetition puts on this quote is that the narrator is wishing that this man is made up, and trying to convince herself of it. The quotes signify that these are thoughts to her, and not out loud, which means she is trying to convince herself it is true. The narrator also repeats the line, “I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead.” This, along with the reference to God, Satan, and Seraphim, mean that getting “into bed” with the man the narrator was speaking to was a sin, and therefore they never married. When the narrator tries to sleep, “All the world drops dead,” which could represent nightmares and visions of hell because she feels guilty for her sin. Plath uses repetition to emphasize certain phrases so the reader can decipher the true meaning. Another device the author uses is personification. In the second stanza the narrator describes “the stars go waltzing out in blue and red, And arbitrary blackness gallops in.” Clearly, stars can not waltz and blackness can’t gallop. Stars “waltzing out” and blackness galloping in are used to describe how they are leaving her without a second thought, self-assured, easily, and quickly, as the man who left her might have done. The narrator continues to say “I should have loved a Thunderbird instead; At least when spring comes they roar back again.” The narrator is giving a car, Thunderbird, the personification of being able to love and return to its lover, as she wished her man had done. The narrator is also relaying the message that the car is a better man and companion than her lover is. Personification in this poem is very meaningful and powerful to the underlying theme. The first thing that struck me with this poem is the title, “Mad Girl’s Love Song.” The title has two underlying meanings. One, the girl is mad, or angry, about the love in her life. This is true, because the narrator is very upset that she gave herself to a man who left her. Also, that the girl is mad, or insane, over convincing herself that this lover is “made up” and does not exist. The second thing about this poem that caught my attention is the author, Sylvia Plath, who is extremely emotional and troubled. I liked the religious undertones of the poem, which represent that sex before marriage is a sin to the narrator, and she is regretting her actions. “Mad Girl’s Love Song” is cynical view on a bad relationship, and I enjoyed reading it.

  12. Sylvia wished that she would eventually overcome her depression and grow out of the despair she was living in. "I fancied you'd return the way you said, but I grow old and I forget your name." But in fact, her longing and search for her happiness had driven her insane. She had been lost for so long that she didn't remember what it was like to truly be happy so therefore she would never be able to identify it if she were to regain control of her life. Once again the line, "(I think I made you up inside my head)" is referring to the state of insanity that Sylvia Plath had driven herself into. Finally, in the last section of the poem, Sylvia states "I should have loved a thunderbird instead, at least when spring comes they roar back again." With this statement she is blaming herself for wanting and in the end actually having a love for something that was impossible for her to obtain. She feels that she should have been like the rest of the world and chose something materialistic to long for such as a thunderbird sports car. In this case, people put these cars away for the winter but she would have the reassurance that her happiness, her love would always be there to come back to her. The two repetitious lines are seen here to end the poem. "I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead, (I think I made you up inside my head)" This time these lines are seen in the same stanza when before the line containing death was seen after an idea of despair and the line about imagination was seen in the stanzas that dealt with how her life should have been. The line, "(I think I made you up inside my head)" , is written in parentheses, so therefore is something Sylvia is just realizing herself but does not want believe it as being true. So, in combining these two lines, Sylvia is making a bold statement that in committing suicide she would be able to escape the reality of never being able to find true happiness in living. The title "Mad Girl's Love Song" , when looked after analyzing the poem, is quite clear. It is saying that the love for her happiness drove her to insanity.

  13. Are They Similar? These two poems, Cinderella and Mad Girl’s Love Song, both deal with struggles of capturing reality. In the first, Plath shows how everything must come to an end and sometimes people can get lost in the moment. It’s always important to stay grounded an keep in touch with reality and what really matters. In the second poem, Plath shows someone who has always struggled with figuring out what was real in her life and what isn’t. Throughout Plath’s life, she also had trouble differentiating between reality and what was in her mind and that was depicted in these two poems.

  14. What's So Special? Cinderella: we learn about this poem in because we can interpret it. when we saw the title we thought it was beautiful thing, so we chose it. it is important to understanding poetry because it uses literary elements Mad Girl’s Love Song: we learn about this poem so we can interpret it. we loved the title to this for many reasons. it made us think of an amazing singer/song writer so we decided to analyze it. this poem as well, uses literary elements.

  15. You Can Do This… BY: Michelle Borukhov Be proud of who you are, You're one of a kind, A shining star, With a great piece of mind. There is nothing you can't do, you'll shine bright. Set your mind to it all. You're beautiful you, a bird in flight. Don't be scared to fall. There will be fast flowing rivers, There will be times you won't see other birds. You'll feel like it's the end, but forget your shivers. Forget it all like yesterdays words. Always stand tall, Be proud of who you are, Even if there isn't someone to catch you as you fall, Remember you're as bright as a shooting star.

  16. The Plants By: Marina Barron The plants climb up the wall Across the ceiling Down the floor… Down the floor. The plants cannot decide To stay or go. they have no choice For here or there, for less or more. They aren’t free but aren’t slaves, And they decorate their graves.

  17. My One And Only Love…. BY: Grace Medico That unique feeling comes from up above It’s that feeling I have when you get close It’s that special feeling that we call love Can’t you tell that you leave me breathlessly Cause if you only saw what I could see You’d know why I want you so desperately But it’s sad that you don’t even notice me You are the reason I smile everyday To me you are perfect in every way

  18. Family… BY: NishithaBurman We share love Hate, We’re free of We share tears We share fears It’s the love and sacrifice The promises and compromise The secrets but no lies The bond that it ties We know each other like no other A Brother a Sister a Father a Mother A family’s love is never impaired Its love is always shared

  19. Bibliography Antonov, Aleksandar. "Sylvia Plath - Life in the 50's (Time Period)." Sylvia Plath - Life in the 50's (Time Period). Aleksandarantonov.wikispaces.com, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 06 June 2013. "Women's Roles in the 1950s." American Decades: 1950-1959. Ed. Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6. Gale Cengage, 1994. eNotes.com. 6 Jun, 2013 http://www.enotes.com/1950-lifestyles-social-trends-american-decades/ Cox, Erika. "Life in the 1950’s." – The Fifties. Loti.com. 06 June 2013 <http://www.loti.com/fifties_history/life_in_the_1950s.htm>. "Sylvia Plath." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 June 2013. Web. 06 June 2013. Osbourne, Kristen. "Sylvia Plath: Poems Summary and Analysis." Sylvia Plath: Poems Study Guide : Summary and Analysis of "Cinderella" Www.gradesaver.com. 06 June 2013 <http://www.gradesaver.com/sylvia-plath-poems/study-guide/section10/>. Shelly. "What is Sylvia Plath's poem "Cinderella" rreeally about?" Yahoo! Answers. 02 June 2010. Yahoo! 06 June 2013 <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100530083848AAqaFkH>. WriteWork contributors. "Critcal Analysis Of Silvia Plath's "Mad Girl's Love Song"" WriteWork.com. WriteWork.com, 12 August, 2001. Web. 07 Jun. 2013.

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