"Daddy" by Sylvia Plath

Paper Summary:

This paper presents an analysis of the poem "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath. Partially due to the success of her autobiographical novel "The Bell Jar", which details her partial recovery from suicidal depression, Plath's poetry has been frequently analyzed through the lens of her clinical mental problems. This paper offers a similar point of view, studying "Daddy" in light of the author's mental state of mind. The paper brings to light a number of issues, evident in Plath's work, including the daughter's relationship with her father, fascism, class status, and anti-Semitism among others.

From the Paper:

"Plath's own German heritage and her difficult relationship with her own father, who died at an early age, makes the highly personal interpretation of this poem often given by critics seem more justified. The poem is more complex than a pure confessional, however. "Daddy" does attempt to create an analogy between the personal depression and despair of the poet that has caused her to embark upon unfulfilling and controlling relationships with men and a larger historical injustice of violence inflicted upon oppressed people and women. Ultimately, however, the end of the poem locates the work in the individual speaker's unique personal despair and inner, rather than outer political conflicts."

More papers on "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath:

• Poem Review # 120987 : "Form and Style of "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath"
• Poem Review # 86697 : "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath"
• Essay # 61001 : "Sylvia Plath: Tortured American Poet"

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