I did not understand
Sylvia Plath’s “Metaphors” when I first read it, as a few others also said. When
it was brought up in the class discussion that the poem was about pregnancy, I
saw it as well. Plath’s use of multiple metaphors to describe pregnancy and in
nine lines and nine syllables for each line was clever. Many times there were
multiple metaphors per line. This poem is concise writing and even though
Plath’s and Lucille Clifton’s poems both were highly structured and concise,
they have different outlooks. “Metaphors” is pessimistic and negative; Plath
states, “Boarded the train there’s no getting off,” showing the negative
emotions Plath has towards pregnancy. There were some negative aspects in
Clifton’s poems, but they were also accepting, not negative outright. In
particular, “homage to my hips” is a self-accepting and optimistic poem. Clifton
states, “these hips are magic hips,” exemplifying the self-accepting nature of
the poem.
Keegan I found it interesting that you focused so much on the negative in Plath's "Metaphors" while I know where you're coming from I wonder if the negativity is really directed at the children. I feel that the negativity is more centered around Plath herself and much of the poem is Plath poking fun at herself for her appearance as a pregnant woman. I also think the line "Boarded the train there's no getting off" is very ambiguous and could be read many different ways. I personally took it very literally because pregnancy is a very final thing, unless there is some type of intervention. I see it as Plath saying that it is something she can't undo and it's time to get ready and power through it. While this may not be the most positive outlook I would also say it's not nearly as negative as Plath could have written it.
ReplyDeleteKeegan, I like your observation about the significance of the number nine in Plath's "Metaphors." I think her poem is brilliantly constructed, an amazing piece of writing. I tend to appreciate poems that express the dark side of things. I suspect that she used her depression as material for her literary works.
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