poetry texts, poem archive at plagiarist.com

I don't know what to think about this poem, but I don't feel well after reading it. I wish someone else would please post some comments on it so I can read some others' opinions on this!

I'm a Spanish student of English Philology and I'm doing a paper on this poem at the moment. I know it's difficult to feel ok when you read it but, if you know Sylvia Plath's biography, you'll understand it much more easily. She´s desperate, she's also a little mad, crazy. She has a lot of presure from all the people surrounding her and she is playing with life/death. She believes that, when she dies, she will return to life stronger and revenge from all male oppresors. I think that, in some way, one can understand her poin of view. (Sorry about my English)

I think the fact that you don't feel well after reading it is as strong a message as this poem would communicate even if you "understood" it fully. It made me feel full.

Plath uses a lot of imagery about Nazi's and Jews in her poems which represent the ulitmate perpetrator and the ultimate victim. I wonder if she had heard any anti-German sentiment when she was growing up, as she is the daughter of German immigrants. She was born in the 40's and may have experienced some of this prejudice first-hand, or felt some shame in her parent's heritage. Would be interesting to explore.

One word pretty much sums this one up...psycho!!! But she really does have a way with words...I have to give that one to her.

Lady Lazarus, as my learned friend has indicated, may be viewed as biographical since it talks about suicide, and attempts of. Lady Lazarus is not meant to be depressing, more an insight into the mind of one who so desires attention. People depressed by this poem should take strength from the fact such a prima facie negative thing, can be so cynicaly written. The poem talks about someone who does not wish to die but about a woman who takes strength from each near-death experience, and attracts attention from others.

I don't know what the rest of these people are talking about, but "Lady Lazarus" is definitely about Plath's suicide attempts. This poem embodies the turmoil Plath was undergoing and captures the essence of her desire (even need, if you will) to escape from life. And yes, there is a powerful lure in death for her, hence her suicide attempts. If you know anything at all about Plath's background, you'll understand this poem so much better. I'd recommened researching her life before determining the meaning of her poem.

never should a reader have to research a poet's life in order to 'understand' a poem, and sometimes feeling it is better anyway. in this case the poet is explaining her romance with near-death, the satisfaction of the hyper-attention after her suicide attempts, and the ultimate power of controlling when death comes (like the Nazis).

Though it's easy to characterize Lady Lazarus as being a simple biography of Plath's suicide attempts, it is more than necessary to evaluate them further. Plath's attempts at suicide were more of an desperate clawing for catharsis more than a desire for death. The mood of this poem is cocky, for by touching so close to her emotional rebirth, she explodes with a higher knowledge and presents it in a condescending manner of a bitter woman. However, I must disagree with the post-er who chastized researching a poet to understand the work. Plath is a confessional poet, her works describe her life. when they had "to call and call and pik the worms off me like sticky pearls" is a direct reference to her suicide attempt where she overdosed on sleeping pills while hiding under her porch.

i dont think sylvia intended to actually die, i think it was meant to be an ATTEMPT at suicide - coz she left a note for her home help to call the doctor when she got there. the home help arrived late that morning, after missing a bus... if she arrived on time sylvia probably would have stayed alive for at least another 10 years! it's a shame that hughes burnt the last journal - all these GUESSES of the meaning of her poems ANNOY the heck out of me... i think ppl r looking intoo deep into SOME of the poems! :S