'Daddy' by Sylvia Plath
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You do not do, you do not do
Any more, black shoe
In which I have lived like a foot
For thirty years, poor and white,
Barely daring to breathe or Achoo.
Daddy, I have had to kill you.
You died before I had time ----
Marble-heavy, a bag full of God,
Ghastly statue with one gray toe
Big as a Frisco seal
And a head in the freakish Atlantic
Where it pours bean green over blue
In the waters off the beautiful Nauset.
I used to pray to recover you.
Ach, du.
In the German tongue, in the Polish town
Scraped flat by the roller
Of wars, wars, wars.
But the name of the town is common.
My Polack friend
Says there are a dozen or two.
So I never could tell where you
Put your foot, your root,
I never could talk to you.
The tongue stuck in my jaw.
It stuck in a barb wire snare.
Ich, ich, ich, ich,
I could hardly speak.
I thought every German was you.
And the language obscene
An engine, an engine,
Chuffing me off like a Jew.
A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.
I began to talk like a Jew.
I think I may well be a Jew.
The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna
Are not very pure or true.
With my gypsy ancestress and my weird luck
And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack
I may be a bit of a Jew.
I have always been scared of you,
With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.
And your neat mustache
And your Aryan eye, bright blue.
Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You ----
Not God but a swastika
So black no sky could squeak through.
Every woman adores a Fascist,
The boot in the face, the brute
Brute heart of a brute like you.
You stand at the blackboard, daddy,
In the picture I have of you,
A cleft in your chin instead of your foot
But no less a devil for that, no not
Any less the black man who
Bit my pretty red heart in two.
I was ten when they buried you.
At twenty I tried to die
And get back, back, back to you.
I thought even the bones would do.
But they pulled me out of the sack,
And they stuck me together with glue.
And then I knew what to do.
I made a model of you,
A man in black with a Meinkampf look
And a love of the rack and the screw.
And I said I do, I do.
So daddy, I'm finally through.
The black telephone's off at the root,
The voices just can't worm through.
If I've killed one man, I've killed two ----
The vampire who said he was you
And drank my blood for a year,
Seven years, if you want to know.
Daddy, you can lie back now.
There's a stake in your fat black heart
And the villagersnever liked you.
They are dancing and stamping on you.
They always knew it was you.
Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I'm through.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Daddy by Sylvia Plath: A Psychological Exploration of the Father-Daughter Relationship
Daddy is a poem written by Sylvia Plath, an American poet, novelist, and short-story writer who is widely known for her provocative and confessional style of writing. Published in 1965, a year after her tragic death, Daddy is one of Plath's most famous and controversial poems that explores her complex and troubled relationship with her father, Otto Plath.
With its powerful and intense images, vivid metaphors, and confessional tone, Daddy is a deeply personal and emotional poem that reflects Plath's struggles with her identity, her ambivalent feelings towards her father, and her unresolved psychological issues. In this essay, I will analyze and interpret the themes, symbols, and literary techniques used in Daddy to explore the deeper psychological and emotional meanings of the poem and to understand its enduring appeal and relevance.
The Father-Daughter Relationship as a Source of Pain and Power
At its core, Daddy is a poem about the father-daughter relationship, a theme that has been explored by many writers and artists throughout history. However, Plath's treatment of this theme is unique and provocative, as she subverts the traditional patriarchal roles and expectations of the father-daughter relationship and exposes its dark and disturbing aspects.
In Daddy, Plath portrays her father as a powerful and oppressive figure, a Nazi and a vampire who has dominated and traumatized her psyche. She describes him as a "black shoe" that she has been trying to "get rid of" for years, a "panzer-man" who has "paralyzed" her will and a "ghastly statue" who has "stuck" to her like a "suicide" for years.
Through these images, Plath reveals the deep sense of fear, anger, and helplessness that she feels towards her father, and the way in which his presence in her life has shaped her personality and her relationships. She describes how she has tried to "kill" him many times, both literally and symbolically, and how his death has left her with a sense of guilt and emptiness.
However, despite her anger and resentment towards her father, Plath also portrays him as a source of power and inspiration. She compares him to a "god" and a "devil", and she acknowledges that he has given her the "vocabulary" and the "tools" to express her pain and her creativity. She describes how his death has released her from his control and allowed her to become her own person.
This ambivalent and contradictory portrayal of the father-daughter relationship is one of the key themes of Daddy, and it reflects Plath's own struggles with her identity and her sense of self. Like many daughters, Plath was deeply influenced by her father, and his death had a profound effect on her emotional and psychological well-being.
The Symbols and Imagery of Daddy: A Complex Web of Associations
One of the most striking features of Daddy is its rich and powerful imagery, which is both surreal and intense. Plath uses a complex web of symbols and metaphors to convey her emotional and psychological states, and to explore the deeper meanings of her relationship with her father.
The most prominent symbol in the poem is the image of the father as a Nazi, a figure that represents the ultimate in power and oppression. Through this image, Plath is able to express her deep sense of fear and helplessness towards her father, as well as her anger and resentment towards him. She also uses the Nazi image to explore the wider themes of fascism and totalitarianism, and to comment on the political and social realities of her time.
Another key symbol in the poem is the image of the father as a vampire, a figure that represents the draining and destructive aspects of the father-daughter relationship. Through this image, Plath is able to express her sense of being "drained" and "devoured" by her father, as well as her sense of being trapped and immobilized by his influence. She also uses the vampire image to explore the wider themes of death and decay, and to comment on the darker aspects of human nature.
Throughout the poem, Plath uses a range of other symbols and images to convey her emotional and psychological states, including the image of the father as a "black shoe", the image of the daughter as a "foot", the image of the father as a "panzer-man", and the image of the daughter as a "Jew". Each of these images is rich in associations and meanings, and they all contribute to the powerful and evocative atmosphere of the poem.
The Literary Techniques of Daddy: A Masterful Use of Sound and Rhythm
In addition to its powerful imagery and symbols, Daddy is also notable for its masterful use of sound and rhythm. Plath employs a range of literary techniques to create a musical and hypnotic effect, and to convey the emotional and psychological states of the poem.
One of the most notable techniques used in the poem is the use of repetition, which is employed to create a sense of obsessive and haunting repetition. Throughout the poem, Plath repeats phrases and words, such as "I have had to kill you" and "daddy, daddy", to create a sense of urgency and intensity.
Another key technique used in the poem is the use of alliteration and assonance, which are employed to create a musical and hypnotic effect. Plath uses a range of sound patterns, such as the repetition of the "d" sound in "daddy, daddy", and the repetition of the "u" sound in "you do, do, do".
Finally, Plath also employs a range of other literary techniques, including metaphor, simile, and personification, to create a rich and evocative atmosphere. She describes her father as a "black shoe", a "panzer-man", and a "ghastly statue", and she uses these images to convey her emotional and psychological states.
Conclusion: An Enduring Masterpiece of Confessional Poetry
In conclusion, Daddy is a powerful and provocative poem that explores the complex and troubled relationship between Plath and her father. Through its rich and powerful imagery, its masterful use of sound and rhythm, and its deeply personal and emotional tone, Daddy has become one of the most famous and enduring poems of confessional poetry.
Despite its controversial and divisive nature, Daddy continues to resonate with readers and audiences today, and it remains a powerful testament to the enduring power of poetry to explore the deepest and most complex aspects of our humanity.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Daddy by Sylvia Plath: A Haunting Exploration of Trauma and Identity
Sylvia Plath's poem Daddy is a haunting exploration of trauma, identity, and the complex relationship between a daughter and her father. Written in 1962, just a few months before Plath's tragic suicide, Daddy is widely regarded as one of her most powerful and influential works. In this 2000-word analysis, we will delve deep into the themes, imagery, and symbolism of this classic poem, and explore how Plath's personal experiences shaped her artistic vision.
The poem Daddy is a confessional piece, in which Plath speaks directly to her deceased father, who she describes as a Nazi, a devil, and a vampire. The poem is structured in five stanzas, each with a varying number of lines and a distinct tone. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as Plath declares that she has been trying to kill her father for thirty years. The second stanza is a vivid description of her father's physical appearance, with his black shoe and his Aryan eye. The third stanza is a lamentation of her own identity, as she compares herself to a Jew and her father to a Nazi. The fourth stanza is a powerful denunciation of her father's legacy, as she declares that she has outlived him and that she is now free. The final stanza is a cathartic release, as Plath declares that she has finally killed her father and that she is now a new woman.
The themes of Daddy are complex and multi-layered, and they reflect Plath's own struggles with trauma, mental illness, and gender identity. One of the central themes of the poem is the relationship between the father and the daughter, and how it shapes the daughter's sense of self. Plath's father, who died when she was only eight years old, was a distant and authoritarian figure, who she felt had abandoned her. In Daddy, Plath portrays her father as a tyrant, a monster, and a source of pain and fear. She describes him as a "black shoe" that she has been trying to get rid of, and as a "panzer-man" who has left her with a legacy of violence and oppression. Through her vivid and disturbing imagery, Plath captures the sense of powerlessness and rage that she felt towards her father, and the way in which his absence had shaped her identity.
Another important theme of Daddy is the legacy of the Holocaust, and how it affected Plath's sense of self. Plath was born in 1932, just a few years before the outbreak of World War II, and she grew up in a world that was still reeling from the horrors of the Holocaust. In Daddy, Plath compares herself to a Jew, and her father to a Nazi, in a powerful metaphor that captures the sense of victimhood and oppression that she felt. She describes her father as a "ghastly statue" that she has been trying to break down, and as a "swastika" that has left her with a sense of shame and guilt. Through her use of Holocaust imagery, Plath captures the sense of trauma and loss that she felt, and the way in which it shaped her identity as a writer and a woman.
A third important theme of Daddy is the struggle for self-expression and autonomy, and how it relates to gender identity. Plath was a feminist writer who was deeply concerned with issues of gender and power, and Daddy reflects her struggles with these issues. In the poem, Plath portrays herself as a victim of patriarchy, who has been oppressed by her father and by the male-dominated society in which she lives. She describes herself as a "foot" that has been trapped in a "black shoe", and as a "doll" that has been controlled by her father. Through her use of gendered imagery, Plath captures the sense of powerlessness and frustration that she felt, and the way in which it shaped her identity as a writer and a woman.
The imagery and symbolism of Daddy are rich and complex, and they reflect Plath's unique artistic vision. One of the most striking images in the poem is the figure of the father, who is portrayed as a Nazi, a devil, and a vampire. Through her use of these powerful metaphors, Plath captures the sense of fear and loathing that she felt towards her father, and the way in which his absence had shaped her identity. Another important image in the poem is the figure of the shoe, which represents the father's control over the daughter's life. Plath describes the shoe as a "black shoe" that has been trapping her foot, and as a symbol of the patriarchal society in which she lives. Through her use of this image, Plath captures the sense of oppression and frustration that she felt, and the way in which it shaped her identity as a writer and a woman.
The symbolism of Daddy is also deeply rooted in Plath's personal experiences, and it reflects her struggles with mental illness and trauma. Plath suffered from depression and anxiety throughout her life, and she was hospitalized several times for psychiatric treatment. In Daddy, Plath portrays herself as a victim of trauma, who has been haunted by her father's legacy. She describes herself as a "Jew" who has been persecuted by her father, and as a "victim" who has been trapped in a cycle of abuse and pain. Through her use of these powerful symbols, Plath captures the sense of vulnerability and despair that she felt, and the way in which it shaped her identity as a writer and a woman.
In conclusion, Daddy by Sylvia Plath is a haunting exploration of trauma, identity, and the complex relationship between a daughter and her father. Through her vivid and disturbing imagery, Plath captures the sense of powerlessness and rage that she felt towards her father, and the way in which his absence had shaped her identity. She also explores the themes of the Holocaust, gender identity, and the struggle for self-expression and autonomy, and she does so with a unique artistic vision that is both powerful and haunting. Daddy is a classic poem that continues to resonate with readers today, and it is a testament to Plath's enduring legacy as a writer and a feminist icon.
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