How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy

Posted By: April 20, 2023 Leave a Reply

How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy

Sylvia Plath’s poem “Daddy” is one of the most famous and powerful poems of the 20th century. Written in 1962, two years before Plath’s suicide, the poem is a deeply personal and highly charged exploration of the poet’s relationship with her father, Otto Plath, who died when she was just eight years old. Through a series of vivid and striking metaphors, Plath reveals the complex and conflicting emotions that her father’s death and her own traumatic experiences have left her with. In this essay, I will explore the different ways in which Plath uses metaphor in “Daddy” to convey her ideas and emotions.

How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy

The poem begins with a metaphor that sets the tone for the rest of the work. In the first line, Plath writes, “You do not do, you do not do / Any more, black shoe / In which I have lived like a foot / For thirty years, poor and white / Barely daring to breathe or Achoo.” Here, the speaker compares herself to a foot that has been trapped inside a black shoe for thirty years, unable to move or express itself. The shoe represents the speaker’s father, who has dominated her life for as long as she can remember, while the foot represents the speaker’s own suppressed identity. By using this metaphor, Plath creates a vivid and unsettling image of the speaker’s psychological state, as well as highlighting the power dynamic between herself and her father.

How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy:-The second metaphor in the poem is even more striking. In lines 7-8, Plath writes, “I have always been scared of you, / With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.” Here, the speaker compares her father to a Nazi, using the German word “Luftwaffe” (meaning “air force”) to evoke the horrors of World War II. The use of this metaphor is significant because it suggests that the speaker sees her father as a kind of oppressor, a figure who has inflicted trauma and suffering upon her. The reference to “gobbledygoo” further reinforces this idea, as it suggests that her father’s language is incomprehensible and nonsensical.

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Another metaphor that Plath uses in “Daddy” is the image of the speaker as a Jew and her father as a Nazi. In lines 39-41, Plath writes, “And then I knew what to do. / I made a model of you, / A man in black with a Meinkampf look.” The word “Meinkampf” is the title of Adolf Hitler’s autobiography, and the comparison of the speaker’s father to a Nazi is made explicit in the next line: “And a love of the rack and the screw.” Here, the metaphor suggests that the speaker sees her father as a cruel and sadistic figure, who takes pleasure in inflicting pain on others.

How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy:-Throughout the poem, Plath also uses metaphor to explore the theme of death and resurrection. In lines 53-55, she writes, “Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through. / Now, do you understand what I’m saying, do you? / I’m going to die.” Here, the speaker seems to be suggesting that by confronting and rejecting her father, she is freeing herself from his influence and reclaiming her own identity. The use of the word “die” is significant because it suggests that the speaker sees this process as a kind of rebirth, a way of shedding her old self and becoming something new.

Daddy “Summary”

Sylvia Plath's poem "Daddy" is a deeply personal and emotional exploration of the poet's relationship with her father, Otto Plath, who died when she was eight years old. Through vivid and striking metaphors, Plath reveals the complex and conflicting emotions that her father's death and her own traumatic experiences have left her with.

How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy:-The poem begins with the speaker comparing herself to a foot trapped in a black shoe, representing her father's dominance over her life. She has been unable to move or express herself for thirty years, highlighting the power dynamic between herself and her father. The second metaphor compares the father to a Nazi, using the word "Luftwaffe" to evoke the horrors of World War II and suggesting that the speaker sees her father as a kind of oppressor.

Plath also uses the metaphor of the speaker as a Jew and her father as a Nazi, highlighting the cruelty and sadism of the father. Throughout the poem, Plath explores the theme of death and resurrection, with the speaker suggesting that by confronting and rejecting her father, she is freeing herself from his influence and reclaiming her own identity.

The poem ends with the metaphor of the telephone, conveying the speaker's sense of distance and separation from her father. She suggests that even if she has killed one man, she has killed two, implying that her father's influence on her life has been so profound that it has led to her own destruction.

How does Sylvia Plath use metaphor in Daddy:-Overall, "Daddy" is a powerful and emotionally charged poem that reveals the deep wounds left by the speaker's relationship with her father. Through the use of vivid and striking metaphors, Plath creates a compelling and unsettling portrait of the psychological and emotional impact of trauma and loss.

FAQ.

Q. What is the poem "Daddy" about?

Ans. The poem "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath is about the poet's relationship with her father, who died when she was eight years old. Plath uses vivid and striking metaphors to explore the complex and conflicting emotions that her father's death and her own traumatic experiences have left her with.

Q. What is the significance of the metaphor of the black shoe in "Daddy"?

Ans. The metaphor of the black shoe in "Daddy" represents the speaker's father, who has dominated her life for thirty years. The foot trapped inside the shoe represents the speaker's own suppressed identity, highlighting the power dynamic between herself and her father.

Q. How does Plath use metaphor to explore the theme of death and resurrection in "Daddy"?

Ans. Throughout the poem, Plath uses metaphor to explore the theme of death and resurrection. The speaker suggests that by confronting and rejecting her father, she is freeing herself from his influence and reclaiming her own identity. The use of the word "die" suggests that the speaker sees this process as a kind of rebirth, a way of shedding her old self and becoming something new.

 

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