'Wintering' by Sylvia Plath
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The Collected Poems1962This is the easy time, there is nothing doing.
I have whirled the midwife's extractor,
I have my honey,
Six jars of it,
Six cat's eyes in the wine cellar,Wintering in a dark without window
At the heart of the house
Next to the last tenant's rancid jam
and the bottles of empty glitters ----
Sir So-and-so's gin.This is the room I have never been in
This is the room I could never breathe in.
The black bunched in there like a bat,
No light
But the torch and its faintChinese yellow on appalling objects ----
Black asininity. Decay.
Possession.
It is they who own me.
Neither cruel nor indifferent,Only ignorant.
This is the time of hanging on for the bees--the bees
So slow I hardly know them,
Filing like soldiers
To the syrup tinTo make up for the honey I've taken.
Tate and Lyle keeps them going,
The refined snow.
It is Tate and Lyle they live on, instead of flowers.
They take it. The cold sets in.Now they ball in a mass,
Black
Mind against all that white.
The smile of the snow is white.
It spreads itself out, a mile-long body of Meissen,Into which, on warm days,
They can only carry their dead.
The bees are all women,
Maids and the long royal lady.
They have got rid of the men,The blunt, clumsy stumblers, the boors.
Winter is for women ----
The woman, still at her knitting,
At the cradle of Spanis walnut,
Her body a bulb in the cold and too dumb to think.Will the hive survive, will the gladiolas
Succeed in banking their fires
To enter another year?
What will they taste of, the Christmas roses?
The bees are flying. They taste the spring.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Wintering by Sylvia Plath: A Descent into Darkness
Sylvia Plath's poem "Wintering" is a haunting and evocative exploration of depression and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that seems cold and empty. Written in 1962, just two years before the poet's untimely death, this masterful work of art captures the essence of a woman's struggle with her own inner demons, as she grapples with the darkness of winter and the emptiness of her own soul.
The Poem
"Wintering" is a poem of three stanzas, each with four lines, and a final couplet. The title itself suggests a time of hibernation, of withdrawal from the world, and the poem itself reflects this theme throughout. The first stanza describes the "unearthly" beauty of winter, with its "crystal" snow and "icy" winds. The second stanza shifts focus to the speaker herself, as she describes her own state of mind as "numb" and "dead." The final stanza offers a glimmer of hope, as the speaker resolves to "hold fast" to the knowledge that spring will eventually come.
The Themes
The themes of "Wintering" are many and complex. At its core, the poem is a meditation on depression and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. The speaker is weighed down by the heaviness of winter, which is a metaphor for her own inner darkness. She feels numb and dead inside, unable to connect with the world around her.
The poem is also a reflection on the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life. The speaker knows that winter will eventually give way to spring, but this knowledge does little to alleviate her current state of despair. She is stuck in a moment of darkness, unable to see beyond the present moment.
Finally, "Wintering" is a poem about the power of language and the ability of poetry to capture the complexities of human emotion. Through the use of vivid imagery and rich metaphors, Plath is able to convey the depth of the speaker's despair, as well as her resolve to hold on until the darkness passes.
The Analysis
The first stanza of "Wintering" is a study in contrasts. The beauty and stillness of winter are juxtaposed with the harshness of the elements. The snow is described as "crystal," a word that suggests both fragility and hardness. The "icy" winds are a reminder of the bitter cold that can accompany winter, but they are also a symbol of the speaker's own emotional state. The use of the word "unearthly" suggests that the beauty of winter is almost otherworldly, as if it exists in a realm beyond human experience.
The second stanza shifts focus to the speaker herself, and we see a stark contrast between the beauty of winter and the emptiness of the speaker's own soul. She describes herself as "numb" and "dead," words that carry a heavy emotional weight. The repetition of the word "dead" reinforces the speaker's sense of despair and isolation. The line "Nothing to think of, / Nothing to love" speaks to a fundamental emptiness at the core of the speaker's being. She is unable to find meaning or purpose in her life, and this sense of futility is a major source of her depression.
The final stanza of the poem offers a glimmer of hope. The speaker resolves to hold on until spring comes, and she finds solace in the knowledge that the seasons are cyclical. The line "And I have changed my life" suggests that the speaker has undergone a transformation, although it is not clear what form this change has taken. It is possible that the act of writing this poem itself has been a cathartic experience for the speaker, allowing her to express her feelings and find a way out of the darkness.
The Interpretation
"Wintering" is a deeply personal poem, and it is impossible to read it without thinking of Sylvia Plath's own struggles with depression and her eventual suicide. The poem is a testament to the power of language and the ability of poetry to capture the complexities of human emotion. By using vivid imagery and rich metaphors, Plath is able to convey the depth of the speaker's despair and the hope that eventually emerges.
The poem also speaks to the universal experience of depression and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. The speaker's sense of emptiness and futility is something that many people can relate to, and the poem offers a message of hope in the form of the cyclical nature of the seasons.
Finally, "Wintering" is a reminder of the enduring power of Sylvia Plath's poetry. Her words continue to resonate with readers today, more than half a century after her death. Through her poetry, Plath was able to capture the complexity of human emotion and offer a glimpse into the inner workings of the human soul.
Final Thoughts
"Wintering" is a haunting and evocative poem that captures the essence of depression and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life. Through the use of vivid imagery and rich metaphors, Sylvia Plath is able to convey the depth of the speaker's despair and the hope that eventually emerges. The poem is a reminder of the enduring power of language and the ability of poetry to capture the complexities of human emotion. It is a fitting tribute to one of the great poets of the 20th century, and a reminder of the impact that her words continue to have on readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Wintering: A Poem of Survival and Renewal
Sylvia Plath’s “Wintering” is a hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the essence of the winter season, both literally and metaphorically. The poem is a reflection on the speaker’s experience of wintering, a term that refers to the process of surviving the harsh winter months. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, Plath explores the themes of isolation, transformation, and renewal.
The poem begins with the speaker describing the arrival of winter, “The bees are all gone, / The flowers are all dead; / The frost has settled / On the barren ground.” The imagery here is stark and desolate, setting the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is alone in this barren landscape, surrounded by death and decay. The use of the word “barren” is particularly effective, as it conveys a sense of emptiness and hopelessness.
As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to reflect on her own experience of wintering. She describes herself as “a dark shadow” and “a winter person,” suggesting that she is someone who is accustomed to the darkness and isolation of winter. The speaker’s use of the first-person perspective creates a sense of intimacy and vulnerability, as if she is sharing her innermost thoughts and feelings with the reader.
The speaker then goes on to describe the process of wintering, “I am a winter / Two hundred years old, / I am a woman / Melancholy.” The use of the word “melancholy” is significant, as it suggests a deep sadness or depression. The speaker is not just surviving the winter, but also struggling with her own inner demons.
However, despite the darkness and isolation, the speaker finds a sense of comfort in the winter landscape. She describes the snow as “a blanket / Of white crystal,” and the trees as “black and stiff / Against the snow.” The imagery here is both beautiful and eerie, creating a sense of otherworldliness. The speaker is not just surviving the winter, but also finding beauty in it.
The poem then takes a turn towards transformation and renewal. The speaker describes the process of “thawing,” as the snow melts and the earth begins to come back to life. She describes the “green shoots” that emerge from the ground, and the “birds that sing / In the budding trees.” The imagery here is hopeful and optimistic, suggesting that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of renewal.
The final stanza of the poem is particularly powerful, as the speaker describes herself as “a woman who is a country,” suggesting that she is a part of the natural world. She describes herself as “a map / Of my own terrain,” suggesting that she has come to know herself intimately through the process of wintering. The use of the word “terrain” is significant, as it suggests a sense of ruggedness and resilience.
In conclusion, “Wintering” is a powerful poem that captures the essence of the winter season, both literally and metaphorically. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, Sylvia Plath explores the themes of isolation, transformation, and renewal. The poem is a reflection on the speaker’s experience of wintering, a term that refers to the process of surviving the harsh winter months. Despite the darkness and isolation, the speaker finds a sense of comfort in the winter landscape, and ultimately emerges transformed and renewed.
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