Lady Lazarus: The Self- Identity of Sylvia Plath

             While reading the poem "Lady Lazarus," by Sylvia Plath, one would assume the narrator is simply suicidal. But, if one looks more closely they would find a deeper and more symbolic meaning to almost every word printed. Written as a lyrical poem, Plath uses symbols such as the Phoenix bird and a Nazi lampshade to show her personal identity. Although she uses many other symbolic elements, the Phoenix is the most significant.
             In the first stanzas of "Lady Lazarus," the reader's attention should be focused on what "it" could be. Plath uses this word twice in the first stanza and mentions it multiple times throughout the poem. "I have done it again, one year in every ten, I manage it." The use of the word comes across subtly, but when the reader reaches line forty-five, it becomes clear what Plath means. "I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real." She implies that everything she has done, have all been attempts at suicide. Instead of being blunt and saying, "I have tried committing suicide again," Sylvia uses "it" to be more subtle, and creates a more chilling effect.
             Reading further, one discovers the use of other symbols. The remarks of Nazi lampshades and the use of German language suggest that she comes from a Jewish heritage. Someone arguing over what the real meaning of this poem would be would say that Plath used the lampshade and language as a reference to the Jewish Holocaust. But, by analyzing how she uses these phrases shows that she is Jewish herself, and is making a reference to the struggle her people made. Examples of passages that clearly prove her Jewish heritage are, "...My skin bright as a Nazi lampshade...," and, "My face a featureless, fine Jew linen." Plath seems to almost mock the Germans when she says, "So, so Herr Doktor, so Herr Enemy...," "Herr God, Herr Lucifer, beware,...

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Lady Lazarus: The Self- Identity of Sylvia Plath. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 16:47, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/25277.html