With works beaming with imagery and despair, Sylvia Plath is a poet whose work shook the world of poetry. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on October 27, 1932, Plath’s writing explored morbid topics that most like to ignore, such as erratic emotion, depression, and death. These subjects were often controversial but fascinating to read.
Plath’s poems explored the anguish she carried in the most vivid way. Her widely acclaimed “Daddy” exhibits her relationships with both her father and former spouse, fellow poet Ted Hughes. “Daddy” reveals the strained relationship she had with her father and how she deals with similar strife in her relationship with her husband. The constant turmoil she endured established her solemn words and deeply influenced her outlook.
Plath suffered with symptoms of bipolar depression. She describes her illness in a journal entry as, ““It is as if my life were magically run by two electric currents: joyous positive and despairing negative—whichever is running at the moment dominates my life, floods it.” Plath’s work would sometimes combine both sides of the spectrum, embodying both cheery and grave elements. “Tulips”, displays the cohesive use of both very different dispositions. Plath speaks about the vibrancy of the Tulips only to note that they are, “too excitable…too red” seeing the beauty more as a burden.
Plath’s depression took an unfortunate toll on her. She dealt with constant depressive episodes and attempted suicide multiple times. On February 11, 1963, Plath committed suicide by placing her head inside an oven around 4:30am. She left behind her two children, Frieda and Nicholas, and multiple masterpieces of American literature.