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Poet: Sylvia Plath (Sylvia Plath Art)
Poem: Words
Volume: The Collected Poems
Year: Published/Written in 1963
Comment 3 of 3, added on February 13th, 2009 at 8:38 PM.
At my high school, we've been studying a unit which examines how postwar composers- Plath, Heller and Beckett- dealt with the implications of World War Two, the atom bomb, a changing world, the hopes of the new era etc. In that light, you could interpret this poem as being a cynical statement by Plath that words- i.e. diplomacy, politics, statements of hope and optimism- are really meaningless. It's a bit harder to draw parallels with the unit than some of her other poems, I guess.
Tom from Australia
Comment 2 of 3, added on March 25th, 2005 at 10:48 AM.
I've read that this poem was written after Sylvia Plath heard the news, via words in a phone call from a friend, of Ted Hughes' infidelity. I'd like to see more formal research on this poem online but am having a hard time finding it.
JG from United States
Comment 1 of 3, added on January 19th, 2005 at 7:24 PM.
At first one is taken back by the extreme difference between the title: Words and the first line of the work: Axes. But at times words can be like axes, if they are used cruelly. One might assume that Sylvia was being troubled by something who had said something cruel to her. She even goes as far to compare words with Quartering in the last line of the first stanza. The rings of the tree may be compared to how words effect us over and over again. One might be hurt by words but the initial sting may last for quite some time. The mirror that is trying to re-establish itself seems, in one sense, to represent the effect harsh words have in breaking us up-into pieces. Lastly, "the indefatigable hoof-taps"...what an incredible word choice!
This poem is what caused me to be interested in her poetry and has given me more respect for poetry as a whole. Thank you for reading my understanding of this poem.
Jennifer from United States
Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Words, has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Sylvia Plath with others on the American Poems poetry forum!
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Comments
At my high school, we've been studying a unit which examines how postwar composers- Plath, Heller and Beckett- dealt with the implications of World War Two, the atom bomb, a changing world, the hopes of the new era etc. In that light, you could interpret this poem as being a cynical statement by Plath that words- i.e. diplomacy, politics, statements of hope and optimism- are really meaningless. It's a bit harder to draw parallels with the unit than some of her other poems, I guess.
Tom from Australia