Daddy Sylvia Plath Analysis

Daddy Sylvia Plath’s Poem

In her work, Daddy Sylvia Plath used several techniques to produce a particular effect and capture the more profound significance of the poem. She expresses an intense wave of emotion towards the way her father lived and died. She also expresses anger toward her dreadful marriage and seems to blame it all on her father. The persona in this poem is the poet, Sylvia Plath. She lost her father when she was only ten years old. At a young age, the loved and adored “Daddy”. As she grew up, she gradually woke up to the evils. She even compares him to the Nazis, a vampire and even the devil.

Imagery

The poet used imagery to make her audience perceive things in their imagination. Throughout the poem, the author was able to portray the persona’s harsh life. The persona speaks in baby talk, with words like “gobbledygoo” and calling her father “daddy” (Plath, 1932). The poet uses this to portray the persona’s deep feeling of darkness and pain. She seems to blame all here current predicaments on “daddy” and does not care to take any responsibility. In this paper, I will give my opinion about some literary element in the poem, such as imagery, symbolism, theme, or characterization.

Metaphors

The author has used strong metaphors throughout the poem. She used terms like “Black shoe”, “vampire”, and “ghastly statue” to portray her disgust for her father, husband, and men in general. This shows her profound disappointment with the male gender. In the third line of the second paragraph, the persona refers to her father as a “black shoe” and herself as a foot.

Here, she can put across her deep regret towards “Daddy’s” overprotective nature. Even though he meant to protect her, he ended up limiting her potential and options in life. She feels trapped and blames in on “daddy”, “husband”, and the patriarchy at large. The author used the adjective “black” to show the darkness, pain, and regret from the way her father lived his life. She is sad that he is gone, but she is still angry at him.

The poet uses the repeats the “You do not do” twice, which is an attention-getting instrumental opener. This technique informs and emphasizes to the audience that the subject to whom this work is based, is no more. She immediately expresses her sadness due to the loss. The use of repletion is evident through the poem with mournful sounds like “choo choo”, ‘I do I do’, and “ooo-ooo” to give the poem energy and momentum.

The Persona

Her transition from referring to her “daddy” as a “black shoe” to being a “military boot”, shows what she grew up knowing about her father, and what she learnt about him later on in life (Plath, 1932). “Daddy” was an overprotective father at home, who even so, gave attention to the persona. It later turned out that he was also a Nazi soldier, subjecting the world to violence and oppression. This is also a clear portrayal of juxtaposition.

Sylvia Plath’s Life

In conclusion, the poem “Daddy” is a clear portray of Sylvia Plath’s own life. The author has successfully captured her life in her work by the surgical us of techniques like imagery, metaphor, repetition, and juxtaposition. She shows how patriarchy and oppression have significantly contributed to the evils of the world. Perhaps if she or other women had a say, the world would be a better place. Her life would be better. Maybe she would be having a career and a loving husband.