How does the sound of Sylvia Plaths poetry contribute to its meaning?

Sylvia Plaths poetry, like poetry found throughout time; allows the poet to express his or her feelings and experiences through a persona. Yet Plaths poetry is unique; in that the sound of the poetry also contributes to its meaning. While the poem could be read silently, the poems from the Ariel collection and Childs Park Stones, both by Plath, had a maximum effect when read out verbally. Reading out the poems aloud allows the reader, responder or audience to capture the scene and truly appreciate Plaths poetry. The sound in Plaths poetry gives it another dimension and a deeper layer. While also utilising the sound of the poetry; Plath also employs various literary devices to her poetry. For example, Lady Lazarus from the Ariel collection describes the suicide attempts that the persona undergoes. While critics may claim that the persona is actually Sylvia Plath herself, we must keep in mind that the persona acts as a mask for the poet; even though the content of the poem may be remarkably reminiscent of the poets own life. Plath uses assonance in the sixth stanza of Lady Lazarus. This is in the three words grave cave ate. It has the effect of emphasing those words in particular, and the whole line that encompasses those three words. The use of the assonance also draws the responders attention. On closer inspection of the phrase grave cave ate, the as in the words are the long vowel versions. This is typical of Sylvia Plaths poetry, where she utilises a lot of the long vowels, which tends to make the poem slow down; and adds to its overall depressing tone. Also in Lady Lazarus, the line My face a featureless, fine represents the use of alliteration. This is where the first letter of each word is repeated; as detailed above. This technique, like assonance, draws attention to them. Plath also uses a regular rhythm in Lady Lazarus. This is seen when she describes dying. 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 Ive a call Its easy enough to do it in a cell Its easy enough to do it and stay put Its the theatrical This gives this section of the poem a regular rhythmic beat, which in a sense lifts the tone when read out aloud. However, Plath is describing the art of dying, and this gives the impression that Plath is accustomed to dying; as she has attempted many times to commit suicide. Plaths poetry is also unique; in that it employs run-on lines. This is where one sentence overlaps two stanzas, and runs-on to the next stanza. This is in contrast to traditional poets where each sentence ended at the conclusion of the stanza. The effect of using run-on lines is clearly seen in Nick and the Candlestick; in stanzas 6 and 7, A vice of knives, A piranha Religion, drinking Timothy Li

How does the sound of Sylvia Plaths poetry contribute to its meaning?
Its first communion out of my live toes. By using the run-on line, it forces the reader to keep moving; else the flow of the poem would be interrupted. Alliteration and assonance are again employed in Nick and the Candlestick with Black bat airs and Christ! They are panes of ice, A vice of knives, Plaths choice of wording is also interesting; in that it affects the way the poem can be interpreted. For example, the choice of the word substanceless in the first stanza of Ariel contributes significantly to the meaning of the poem. By using such a word, Plath slows down the poem; because when it is read out aloud, the inclusion of the long vowels tend to make the tone less bright. The sound of the word "substanceless" itself also contributes to the meaning of Ariel. Various other techniques analysed in the previous poems appear again in Ariel, the most notable ones being the run-on lines which have been used extensively in this poem. In Nick and the Candlestick, Plath is describing Nicholas, her second child. Plath tends to use a large number of longer phrases in this poem such as "Gulps and recovers its small altitude" and "Its first communion out of my live toes". Only when the sound of these phrases is heard does one realise how much the sound of Plath's poetry in general contributes to its meaning. These two phrases in particular sound quite long when it is read out, because of the lack of punctuation. As a result, the reader is forced to keep reading, without taking a breath. The poem You're is one of the more brighter and happier poems in the "Ariel collection". Perhaps this is one of Plath's happier times compared to the frequent bouts of depression that she suffered. Internal rhyme is used in this poem, for example, "snug as a bud". This gives the poem a "bouncy" feeling to it which contributes to its meaning. Plath also uses many short vowel sounds compared to her other poems. Such uses of short vowel sounds include, "hands", "sprat", "Atlas". The short vowel sounds make the poem sound much more "happier" than her other poems such as Child Park Stones and Lady Lazarus. The poem Daddy, also in the "Ariel" collection; is Plath talking to her father who died when she was only eight years of age; even though it is through a persona. This poem uses rhyme on the end of the lines, as opposed to the internal rhyme in You're. In the first stanza, the rhyme in the first two lines is as follows, "You do not do, you do not do Any more, black shoe ..... Barely daring to breathe or Achoo" This rhyming found throughout the poem can be accredited to the extensive use of the "-ou" sounds. Such uses include, "Achoo", "Jew", "you", "blue", "through", "who", "do", "glue", "screw", "two". The "-ou" sounds are most commonly found on the end of the lines. In this poem, Sylvia Plath also makes references to the German language, and surprisingly enough, incorporates some German words into her poem, for example, "Ach du".

Timothy Li

How does the sound of Sylvia Plaths poetry contribute to its meaning?
Onomatopoeia is also used in this poem with the "Ich, ich, ich, ich" line found in stanza six. Such a harsh sound is eerily reminiscent of the lines preceding it, in which Plath describes her "tongue stuck" in her jaw, and it being "stuck in a barb wire snare". Some people may shudder when they imagine the scene and then hear the harsh sound following it. This is a prime example of how the sound of Plath's poetry contributes to its meaning. Again, assonance is used in this poem, for example, "bean green" which could also be a reference to gangrene. The Applicant at first seems to be a little brighter in its tone, but as the poem progresses, the desperation in the persona is clearly seen, with the hideous description of various body parts. This poem uses many short phrases, which keeps the poem flowing and tends to make it sound faster. This gives another dimension to the poem as it suits the overall interview impression created by the title. Child Park Stones was also written by Sylvia Plath, but it was not part of the "Ariel" collection. However, the sound in this poem clearly contributes to its meaning; especially when one hears Plath's own reading of the poem. Plath deliberately emphasises the long vowels, which gives the poem a spooky feeling to its description of a grave with the tombstone. Although only specific examples have been discussed above, it can be clearly seen that Sylvia Plath's poetry takes on another dimension; when it is read out aloud and the sound of the poetry is taken into account. While many other literary techniques were also examined, Plath's poetry begins to blur the line between literary techniques and sound devices; as they often overlap and work together to contribute to the meaning of the poem. Without the sound of the poems, we would not be fully appreciate the God-given talent of Sylvia Plath; as examined through her poems from the "Ariel" collection and Child Park Stones.

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Timothy Li