“Mad Girl’s Love Song” Analysis
By Sylvia Plath pg.387
“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.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Red Hat Analysis
“The Red Hat” Analysis
By Rachel Hadas pg. 367
“The Red Hat” is a poem about the emotions a parent goes through in letting their child go and gain more independence. The author expresses these emotions using such tools as symbolism. The narrator of the story is describing the event in which their son started walking to school on his own. However, this event is connected to the bigger event of letting their son grow up and gain independence. Hadas creates this symbolism by stating, “Parallel paths part, he goes alone from there” and “Already ties are feeling and not fact” meaning their connection and bond is no longer concrete. The author continues to use symbolism to make the red hat symbolic of the son. “Since the red hat vanished from our sight” is a symbol of the son walking on alone without his parents. Hadas continues to use symbolism when she wrote, “He now is hustled forward by the pull of something far more powerful than school.” This pull is symbolic of the son’s new independence and the emotions, excitement and fear, that come along with it, causing him to move quicker than usual to school. Hadas uses symbolism as a good tool to reveal the emotions of letting go of a child.
Another device the author uses in “The Red Hat” is imagery. In the first stanza, the narrator visibly describes how the son and his parents walk “semi-alone.” Hadas includes details of where they walk, “He walks up on the east side of West End, we on the west side,” to portray the struggle the parents are having with letting go and to explain to the author in clear detail what happens every morning. The detailed walk continues to “Straus Park…where these parallel paths part.” The narrator depicts that “Glances can extend (and do) across the street; not eye contact.” The reader can visualize the image of the mother of father peeking up occasionally to just catch a glimpse of their son walking. This also reveals that there are rules set up, “Not eye contact,” which allows the reader to assume the independence was the boy’s idea. Hadas continues to create an image with, “The watcher’s heart stretches, elastic in its love and fear.” The parents’ love continues on with the boy, and one can visualize the mother standing there stretching to catch the last glimpse of “The Red Hat” before it disappears. Hadas’ excellent use of imagery depicts the morning walk this family endures and the love the parents have for their son.
I enjoyed this poem very much because I feel it is easily related to any loving parent, or any child that has had a loving parent. It is a true sample of how a family struggles with the maturity of a child. I love how the author adds small details such as “Two weeks ago, holding a hand” to not only show how big of an independence gain it is for the son, but also how long the parents have been dealing with this situation and trying to allow their son freedom. The symbolism of the red hat is also effective because as a reader, I can see the bobbing red hat in a crowd of people, as the mom stands their heartbroken. “The Red Hat” by Rachel Hadas is an artistic, heartfelt poem that is beautifully written and perceived.
By Rachel Hadas pg. 367
“The Red Hat” is a poem about the emotions a parent goes through in letting their child go and gain more independence. The author expresses these emotions using such tools as symbolism. The narrator of the story is describing the event in which their son started walking to school on his own. However, this event is connected to the bigger event of letting their son grow up and gain independence. Hadas creates this symbolism by stating, “Parallel paths part, he goes alone from there” and “Already ties are feeling and not fact” meaning their connection and bond is no longer concrete. The author continues to use symbolism to make the red hat symbolic of the son. “Since the red hat vanished from our sight” is a symbol of the son walking on alone without his parents. Hadas continues to use symbolism when she wrote, “He now is hustled forward by the pull of something far more powerful than school.” This pull is symbolic of the son’s new independence and the emotions, excitement and fear, that come along with it, causing him to move quicker than usual to school. Hadas uses symbolism as a good tool to reveal the emotions of letting go of a child.
Another device the author uses in “The Red Hat” is imagery. In the first stanza, the narrator visibly describes how the son and his parents walk “semi-alone.” Hadas includes details of where they walk, “He walks up on the east side of West End, we on the west side,” to portray the struggle the parents are having with letting go and to explain to the author in clear detail what happens every morning. The detailed walk continues to “Straus Park…where these parallel paths part.” The narrator depicts that “Glances can extend (and do) across the street; not eye contact.” The reader can visualize the image of the mother of father peeking up occasionally to just catch a glimpse of their son walking. This also reveals that there are rules set up, “Not eye contact,” which allows the reader to assume the independence was the boy’s idea. Hadas continues to create an image with, “The watcher’s heart stretches, elastic in its love and fear.” The parents’ love continues on with the boy, and one can visualize the mother standing there stretching to catch the last glimpse of “The Red Hat” before it disappears. Hadas’ excellent use of imagery depicts the morning walk this family endures and the love the parents have for their son.
I enjoyed this poem very much because I feel it is easily related to any loving parent, or any child that has had a loving parent. It is a true sample of how a family struggles with the maturity of a child. I love how the author adds small details such as “Two weeks ago, holding a hand” to not only show how big of an independence gain it is for the son, but also how long the parents have been dealing with this situation and trying to allow their son freedom. The symbolism of the red hat is also effective because as a reader, I can see the bobbing red hat in a crowd of people, as the mom stands their heartbroken. “The Red Hat” by Rachel Hadas is an artistic, heartfelt poem that is beautifully written and perceived.
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