I recently came across the poems of Sylvia Plath and I must admit they are some of the most brilliant collections of words I have ever read . However whenever I try to discuss her poetry with anyone I am ignored because she is considered too " depressing to waste your breath on ". What do all you out there think ?
That had she done so who can say
What would have shaken from the sieve?
I might have thrown poor words away
And been content to live.
----- WB Yeats
I've never read her poetry, but I could understand the "Depressing" comment.
Read The Bell Jar. I thought it was a great book, and it makes me want to read her poetry, but I never have. Some people say she's the female "Catcher and the rye" so they just don't like her. And people don't like her. I got in an argument once about whether or not she is good because she was 'stupid' enough to kill her self. Or something like that. I don't really remember.
She sure is interesting though.
“It's necessary to have wished for death in order to know how good it is to live.” ― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
Sylvia Plath is on my favorite poets list. I am quite the fan of hers, even though she is of a dismal strain. I find her a very interesting person, as well.
What are your favorites, Kat?
Fraser: Stop stealing the blanket. [Diefenbaker whines] Fraser: You're an Arctic Wolf, for God's sake. (Due South)
Hatter: Do I need a reason to help a pretty girl in a very wet dress? (Alice)
I'll talk about her with you ANY DAY! Mad Girl's Love Song is one of my all time favorite poems! Yes she's depressing, and yes she killed herself, but that shouldn't let people deny her what an amazing word-smith (not sure that's the right word) she was. (She was one of the original factors for why I started writing poetry). If you like her I suggest Anne Sexton as well. -Tangerine
People are generally nice, except when you give them anonymity...then you get a**holes, hence the internet -Benji.
One of, if not my favourite, poets of all time. She's not "too depressing to waste your breath on". I think people get caught up with her biographical details, which is a shame. Her work is good enough to stand on its own. I really think the intensity and originality of her poetry and her vivid imagery is some of the best.
Ah! I love her poem "Daddy." I mean, my first reactions to it were bad, but then as I thought about it more (and couldn't stop thinking about it) well... she's definitely one of the greats.
Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.
"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly." ~ Richard Bach
Silvia Plath is one of my favorite poets. In fact I did my speech in English about her. I like her way of writing and so do a lot of other people I know.
I love her! She's my favourite poet, hands down. I love "Mirror", "Cut", "Poppies In July", and "Black Rook In Rainy Weather." (and pretty much everything else she's ever written, but these ones in particular stand out for me. Her imagery is amazing and its all just so fresh.Think "Child" was the first poem I've ever been completely mad about after one read. Haven't read "The Bell Jar" in a while, but I'm thinking about rereading it this summer. (I don't understand why so many people hate her, but each to his/her own I guess.) I agree with Liz.
The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life — and one is as good as the other.
Ernest Hemingway
My best mate is obsessed with her. I was exposed to her a lot when I worked with my mate on a school project involving us taking on the roles of authors of our choice. She decided to be Plath (I was George Orwell. And I wanted to work with my friend who was Rudyard Kipling. Go figure.) From the little I gleaned, she was quite the talented woman.
"2-4-6-8! I like to delegate!" -Meshugenah "Teague: Stomping on your dreams since 1992." -Sachiko "So I'm looking at FLT and am reminded of a sandwich." -Jabber
I bought her collected poems today. just thought you all should know
used bookstores = love
The good parts of a book may be only something a writer is lucky enough to overhear or it may be the wreck of his whole damn life — and one is as good as the other.
Ernest Hemingway
I've not read many of her poems, but those I have read have incredible power. "Mirror" is one of my favourite poems ever and "The Bell Jar" frightened me when we had to work on a scene from it in Drama class a few years ago XD
I'll have to read some more of her work sometime...
It is only a novel... or, in short, only some work in which the greatest powers of the mind are displayed, in which the most thorough knowledge of human nature, the happiest delineation of its varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and humour, are conveyed to the world in the best-chosen language — Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey
