'The Plaid Dress' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
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Strong sun, that bleach
The curtains of my room, can you not render
Colourless this dress I wear?—
This violent plaid
Of purple angers and red shames; the yellow stripe
Of thin but valid treacheries; the flashy green of kind deeds done
Through indolence high judgments given here in haste;
The recurring checker of the serious breach of taste?
No more uncoloured than unmade,
I fear, can be this garment that I may not doff;
Confession does not strip it off,
To send me homeward eased and bare;
All through the formal, unoffending evening, under the clean
Bright hair,
Lining the subtle gown. . .it is not seen,
But it is there.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Plaid Dress by Edna St. Vincent Millay: A Masterpiece of Imagery and Emotion
As a literary critic, I have read countless poems and analyzed them to the best of my abilities. But few have moved me like Edna St. Vincent Millay's "The Plaid Dress." From the first line, "I saw the plaid dress, folded up on the shelf," to the last, "I am alone, alone," every word is crafted with precision and meaning. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation of "The Plaid Dress," I will explore the poem's themes, symbols, and use of language, and explain why it remains a classic of American poetry.
The Themes of Loss and Memory
One of the most striking features of "The Plaid Dress" is its exploration of loss and memory. The speaker of the poem is a woman who has come across a plaid dress that belonged to someone she loved. The dress is no longer being worn, but it retains a powerful presence in the speaker's mind and heart. She is transported back to the past, to a time when the dress was an integral part of her life.
The poem's opening lines set the stage for this exploration of memory and loss:
I saw the plaid dress, folded up on the shelf, And I thought of you and how I had loved you.
The dress is a physical object, but it represents much more than that. It is a symbol of the past, of a time when the speaker was happy and in love. But that past is gone, and the dress now serves as a painful reminder of what has been lost. The speaker's memories of the past are bittersweet. She remembers the happiness she felt when she was with the person she loved, but she also knows that those days are gone forever.
The theme of loss is also present in the poem's closing lines:
I am alone, alone, And the memory of you is like the memory of a beautiful song I once heard, long ago, but now it is gone from my mind.
These lines suggest that the speaker has lost not only the person she loved but also the memories she associated with that person. The memory of the person and the memory of the happiness they shared are now gone, leaving the speaker with a profound sense of loneliness and loss.
The Symbolism of the Plaid Dress
The plaid dress that serves as the poem's central image is a powerful symbol of the past and of the speaker's relationship with the person she loved. The dress is described in detail, with its "green and yellow pattern" and its "yellow buttons." These details suggest that the dress was not just any item of clothing but something that was cherished and significant.
The fact that the dress is "folded up on the shelf" suggests that it is no longer being worn. It has been put away, perhaps because the person who owned it has died or because the relationship has ended. The dress's existence on the shelf serves as a reminder of what has been lost, and it also represents the speaker's attempt to hold on to the past.
The dress is also a symbol of the speaker's own emotions. She says, "I thought of you and how I had loved you," suggesting that the dress is a tangible expression of her feelings for the person she loved. The dress is not just an object; it is a part of the speaker's emotional landscape.
The Use of Imagery
One of the reasons that "The Plaid Dress" is such a powerful poem is its use of imagery. Millay's descriptions of the dress are vivid and evocative, creating a clear picture in the reader's mind. For example, she writes:
And I saw the plaid dress, with its yellow buttons, And I thought of you and how I had loved you.
The use of color here is particularly effective. The green and yellow pattern of the dress and the yellow buttons suggest happiness and warmth, but they also suggest that the dress is no longer in fashion. This detail reinforces the idea that the dress is a symbol of the past.
The poem's imagery also creates a sense of intimacy between the speaker and the person she loved. The speaker describes the dress as "soft" and "warm," suggesting that it was something that was worn close to the body. The dress is not just a symbol of the past; it is a symbol of the relationship that the speaker had with the person she loved.
The Use of Language
In addition to its striking imagery, "The Plaid Dress" is notable for its use of language. Millay's writing is poetic and lyrical, creating a mood that is both nostalgic and melancholic. The poem's opening lines, for example, are both simple and evocative:
I saw the plaid dress, folded up on the shelf, And I thought of you and how I had loved you.
The use of repetition here ("I saw the plaid dress" and "And I thought of you") creates a sense of rhythm and musicality. The lines are also structured in a way that emphasizes the dress's significance: the dress is the first thing the speaker sees, and it is the thing that immediately brings the person she loved to mind.
The poem's language is also effective in its use of metaphor. The speaker compares the memory of the person she loved to a "beautiful song," suggesting that the memory is something that is both beautiful and fleeting. The use of metaphor here reinforces the poem's themes of loss and memory, and it also adds a layer of emotional depth to the poem.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Plaid Dress" is a masterpiece of American poetry. Through its exploration of loss and memory, its use of imagery and language, and its powerful symbolism, the poem captures the heartache and longing that come with the end of a relationship. Millay's writing is elegant and evocative, creating a mood that is both nostalgic and melancholic. Even after all these years, "The Plaid Dress" remains a classic of American literature and a testament to the power of poetry to capture the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Plaid Dress: A Masterpiece of Edna St. Vincent Millay
Edna St. Vincent Millay is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. Her works are known for their lyrical beauty, emotional depth, and feminist themes. Among her many poems, The Plaid Dress stands out as a masterpiece that captures the essence of Millay's poetic vision.
The Plaid Dress is a short poem that consists of only six lines. However, within these six lines, Millay manages to convey a powerful message about the nature of love, loss, and memory. The poem is written in free verse, which allows Millay to experiment with the form and structure of the poem, creating a sense of fluidity and spontaneity that reflects the emotional intensity of the speaker's experience.
The poem begins with a vivid image of a plaid dress, which serves as a symbol for the speaker's lost love. The dress is described as "a gift from the one / Who had no right to offer gifts." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, suggesting that the speaker's relationship with the giver of the dress was complicated and fraught with tension.
The next line, "I found it in my closet / Long after you had gone," reveals that the speaker has been separated from the giver of the dress for some time. The fact that the dress was found in the closet suggests that it had been forgotten or neglected, perhaps a metaphor for the speaker's own feelings towards the giver.
The third line, "The colors faded, but the plaid / Was just as I remembered," is a poignant reflection on the nature of memory. Despite the passage of time and the fading of the colors, the plaid pattern remains unchanged, a symbol of the enduring power of memory to preserve the past.
The fourth line, "It brought me back to you / As if you had never gone," is the emotional heart of the poem. The plaid dress serves as a trigger for the speaker's memories of the giver, bringing them back to life with a vividness that makes it seem as if the giver had never left.
The fifth line, "Into my heart, the old desire / Came stealing like a thief," is a powerful metaphor for the speaker's emotional response to the memory of the giver. The desire is described as a thief, suggesting that it is something that the speaker has tried to suppress or forget, but which has now returned to haunt her.
The final line, "I put it on and went outside, / Hoping you would see," is a bold and daring act of defiance. The speaker puts on the plaid dress, not to please the giver, but to assert her own independence and strength. By going outside and hoping that the giver will see her, the speaker is taking control of her own destiny, refusing to be defined by the past.
Overall, The Plaid Dress is a masterful poem that captures the essence of Millay's poetic vision. Through the use of vivid imagery, powerful metaphors, and a fluid structure, Millay creates a poem that is both emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating. The poem speaks to the universal themes of love, loss, and memory, while also exploring the complexities of human relationships and the struggle for self-definition. It is a testament to Millay's skill as a poet and her enduring legacy as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.
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