These poems are, in Robert Lowells' words, "events rather than the record of events, and as such, represent the triumph of the poet's romantic ambition". See all Product Description
This review already contains more than 120 words. As a Ciao member you could earn up to £5 with this review.
Ariel - Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath churned out her final poems at the remarkable rate of two or three a day, ... more
masterworks Robert Lowell describes as written by "hardly a person at all...but one of those super-real, hypnotic, great classical heroines." Even more remarkabl...
Ariel - Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath churned out her final poems at the remarkable rate of two or three a day, ... more
masterworks Robert Lowell describes as written by "hardly a person at all...but one of those super-real, hypnotic, great classical heroines." Even more remarkabl...
Ariel - Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath churned out her final poems at the remarkable rate of two or three a day, ... more
masterworks Robert Lowell describes as written by "hardly a person at all...but one of those super-real, hypnotic, great classical heroines." Even more remarkabl...
Ariel - Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath churned out her final poems at the remarkable rate of two or three a day, ... more
masterworks Robert Lowell describes as written by "hardly a person at all...but one of those super-real, hypnotic, great classical heroines." Even more remarkabl...
masterworks Robert Lowell describes as written by "hardly a person at all...but one of those super-real, hypnotic, great classical heroines." Even more remarkable, she wrote them during one of the coldest, snowiest winters (1962-63) Londoners have ever known. Snowbound, without central heating, she and her two children spent much of their time sniffling, coughing, or running temperatures (In "Fever 103°" she writes, "I have been flickering, off, on, off on. / The sheets grow heavy as a lecher's kiss."). Pipes froze, lights failed, and candles were unobtainable.As if these physical privations weren't enough, Plath was out in the cold in another sense--her husband, Ted Hughes, had left her for another woman earlier that year. Despite all this (or perhaps because of it), theArielpoems dazzle with their lyricism, their surprising and vivid imagery, and their wit. Rather than confining herself to her bleak surroundings, Plath draws from a wide array of experience. In "Berck-Plage," for instance, clouds are "electrifyingly-coloured sherbets, scooped from the freeze." In "The Night Dances," the poet stands crib-side, revelling in her son's own brand of do-si-do: "Such pure leaps and spirals--Surely they travel / The world forever, I shall not entirely / Sit emptied of beauties, the gift / Of your small breath..."Though at times they present the reader with hopelessness laid bare, these poems also teem with the brightest shards of a life, confounding those who merely look for the words of a gloomy, dispassionate suicide. Plath rose each morning in the final months of her life to "that still blue, almost eternal hour before the baby's cry" and left us these words like "axes/After whose stroke the wood rings..." --Martha Silano
masterworks Robert Lowell describes as written by "hardly a person at all...but one of those super-real, hypnotic, great classical heroines." Even more remarkable, she wrote them during one of the coldest, snowiest winters (1962-63) Londoners have ever known. Snowbound, without central heating, she and her two children spent much of their time sniffling, coughing, or running temperatures (In "Fever 103°" she writes, "I have been flickering, off, on, off on. / The sheets grow heavy as a lecher's kiss."). Pipes froze, lights failed, and candles were unobtainable.As if these physical privations weren't enough, Plath was out in the cold in another sense--her husband, Ted Hughes, had left her for another woman earlier that year. Despite all this (or perhaps because of it), theArielpoems dazzle with their lyricism, their surprising and vivid imagery, and their wit. Rather than confining herself to her bleak surroundings, Plath draws from a wide array of experience. In "Berck-Plage," for instance, clouds are "electrifyingly-coloured sherbets, scooped from the freeze." In "The Night Dances," the poet stands crib-side, revelling in her son's own brand of do-si-do: "Such pure leaps and spirals--Surely they travel / The world forever, I shall not entirely / Sit emptied of beauties, the gift / Of your small breath..."Though at times they present the reader with hopelessness laid bare, these poems also teem with the brightest shards of a life, confounding those who merely look for the words of a gloomy, dispassionate suicide. Plath rose each morning in the final months of her life to "that still blue, almost eternal hour before the baby's cry" and left us these words like "axes/After whose stroke the wood rings..." --Martha Silano
A review by princess_lu on Ariel - Sylvia Plath February 12th, 2006
Author's product rating:
Advantages:
Beautiful, an insight into a troubled mind
Disadvantages:
Not easy reading, overflowing with bitterness and pain
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Sylvia Plath gets a bad time of it from most people. She's often seen as having written the most depressing novel ever in the form of 'The Bell Jar', and as the catalyst for many teenager's suicidal angst.
However, the woman was ill, and she was married to an adulterous scoundrel in the form of Ted Hughes. For anyone interested in Plath, it is well worth reading Hughes' 'Birthday Letters', a collection of 88 poems mainly about Plath, and their relationship. Bit off topic but they convey another side to her story. It definitely dispells some of the myths and mystery surrounding her status as a lamenting depressive, as well as displaying Hughes' raw emotions; not only love and awe but anger and bitterness. In a sad way, anyone married to Plath would have been tempted to seek comfort elsewhere in the midst of her frightening disdain for life.
Anyway, so back to Ariel. Written as her final bout of poetry before she killed herself in 1963, and published post-humously by her husband. It is not easy reading by any means, it is dark, often ironic and humorous but ultimately disturbing.
These poems are autobiographical, so don't expect them to be full of flowers and pretty images. They tell stories of suicide, of love, motherhood and being a daughter... amongst other random topics. One of my favourites is 'Cut'. It is simple, it describes Sylvia cutting open her thumb:
What a thrill ---- My thumb instead of an onion. The top quite gone Except for a sort of a hinge
Of skin, A flap like a hat, Dead white. Then that red plush.
She had the knack of detaching herself from situations, to step back and objectify, but somehow turn the monotony of everyday occurence into something magical and strange. There is a beauty in her madness, a disturbing undercurrent, a fascination with the bizzare. To describe the event as calmly as though she had cut open an onion never ceases to amaze me. There is no sense of panic at the blood. It becomes a 'bottle / of pink fizz., 'red' against the white of the gauze which she calls the 'Ku Klux Klan'. This controlled truth, this ability to separate herself from her emotions, is what makes Plath so compelling.
My favourite poem in Ariel has to be 'Lady Lazarus'. It tells the story of a women who goes repeatedly through the agony of being reborn every time she kills herself. It is this blunt admission of Plath's desire to die that makes this poem so real and so harrowing.
'It's the theatrical
Comeback in broad day To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout.'
She is bored with life, she is bored with not being able to die. Her world is a theatre show and she is just a character, detached from the action which the 'Peanut-crunching crowd' view through their voyeuristic eyes. It is all the 'same', nothing changes, she is sick of plodding through life, death clearly seems more attractive.
This image is beautiful and so sadly bitter. I believe Plath knew she was going to die here, she wrote these poems in a frenzy, she was alive with the thought of death. Her candid descriptions of her own suicide attempts run through this poem, she has no care for the shock that the reader feels, she is simply being honest. I love that about these poems, they do not attempt to protect the reader, but that is also what makes them so explosive and potentially dangerous.
I am not going to analyse these poems for you, or go through them all. I just want to say that they are worth reading. I have given you an idea of their shock factor, their brutality, now it is up to you as a reader to decide for yourself.
Advantages: Deep, colourful work Disadvantages: Can be hard 'to get into'
...Quite a few of the Ariel poems can be associated with death and dying or depressive behaviour (Lady Lazarus being the most famous example of this), Dying Is an art, like everything else. 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 I've a call. which makes Plath's poetry ( especially Ariel) very popular 'depression culture' reading. Not that's it's all doom and gloom - there are a few ... ...from feeling helplessly suicidal. What I find the most attractive aspect of her writing is the unique use of metaphor - a juxtaposition of precious words which somehow have managed to tell it like it is - display those personal moments on paper which you always knew exisited, but never thought could be expressed. What a thrill?? My thumb instead of an onion. The top quite gone Except for a sort of a hinge Of skin, A flap like a hat, Dead white. Then ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Easy to read Disadvantages: too thoughtful and melancholy for some
I really enjoyed reading this collection of poetry. Plath has a graphic imagination evident in poems such as 'Cut' and her imagery is at times explicit but so apt. 'Morning song' is yet another beautiful poem. The title plays upon the two seperate meanings of 'morning' and 'mourning'. Describing a mother's feelings after birth, Plath describes her as 'cow heavy' using the image of the lactating mother and effortlessly transferring it to the accurate ... ...Plath's poetry is as intriguing as her life. People might suggest her poetry is depressing and such but i urge you to read it. She has such a way with words. Also i would highly recommend reading 'The Bell Jar'. A fascinating insight into the world of insanity through the eyes of a young girl. ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful
30.04.2008
Real plath Review ofAriel - Sylvia Plathby
PaulVerrico
Advantages: pathos, dark work of some considerable magnitude Disadvantages: its painful
Ariel
Ariel
Lady lazarus and others combine to make this spellbinding work painful to the human psyche with its discusion of pathos and suffering.
Plath is sadly dead, but the strength of her work continues to inspire,..
Read this. Weep. Read this. Smile. Such is the emotion of the greatest poet of the 20th century
All that I can suggest is you read Lady Lazarus.. 'the tulips are too red, they bleed'
Feel the rawness of a tortured mind, revel ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Very deep and meaningful Disadvantages: Takes a lot of effort
When I first picked up this book in the shop, I thought to myself, 'Ah, some nice relaxing poetry', but once I got it home I realised this wasn't the case! As a keen poet myself, this book has been very useful, it is very inspiring and the quality of the poetry is absolutely fantastic! It does, however, require a lot of hard work on the part of the reader. I had to read each poem several times before discovering the true meaning of it, but they are ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: great collection with loots of depth Disadvantages: none
...feminist influences within her work.
1 ‘Winter Trees’ by SylviaPlath.
2 ‘SylviaPlath’ by S. Bassnett. (Pg 114)
3 http://www.slflannery.freeserve.co.uk/godiva/index.html
4 ‘SylviaPlath’ by S. Bassnett. (Pg 96)
5 ‘SylviaPlath’ by S. Bassnett. (Pg 96)
6 From another poem: ‘Ariel’.
7 From another poem: ‘Tulips’.
8 ‘SylviaPlath: Selected Poems’ by York Notes Pg 53
9 ‘Winter Trees’ by SylviaPlath.
10 ‘The Colossus’ by SylviaPlath.
11 ‘Crossing the Water’ by SylviaPlath.
Finally, a comment on winter trees: this selection is excellent but should be read in conjunction with her other poems. There are lots of fabulous collections out there!...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
These poems are, in Robert Lowells' words, "events rather than the record of events, and as such, represent the triumph of the poet's romantic ambition". See all Product Description
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since : 28/05/2001
Compare Ariel - Sylvia Plath to other similar Poetry
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
02.04.2001
