Towards a poetics of self -representation: Anne Bradstreet, Emily Dickinson and Sylvia Plath
Full text
Re1ú a de Es udios
No ea111e ica11os.11
."
5 (
1997
),pp.
113
-99
TOWARDS
A POETICS
OF
SELF-
REPRESENTATION
: ANNE
BRADSTREET,
EMILY
DICKINSON
AND
SYLVIA
PLATH
M
AR
ÍA A NTONIA
ÜLJ
VER
AND
MTREIA
Th
ENCHS
Uni e sidad Pompeu Fab a de Ba celona
The
qucs ion
whe he
women
a e
and ha e
been
able o exp ess hei
ow
n
subjec i i y h ough
la
n
guage
has
been
he cause
o
much
deba e amongs eminis
c i ics.
Th
ey
ha
e
unde mined he no ion ha women
's
na u e is o accoun o women 's
social and li e a y
co
ns ain s
and
ha e desc ibed he cul u al o ces ha accoun o
women 's linguis ic opp ession and
exp
ess
ion. As
membe s
o a cul u e, women
make
u
se
o
h
e
sa
me linguis ic esou ces as men. Howe e ,
suc
h use may be di e en
when
h
ey
e
el
o
consciously ealize
ha
he exis ing dominan! uses
o
such esou ces ail o
exp ess hei subjec i i y.
C
h
is W
ee
don,
Julia
K is e a
and I is
Za ala,
amongs
many
o he s,
ha
e
app op ia ed he pos -s uc u alis no ion ha meaning, hough un ixed, is always
cu
l u ally cons uc ed. They ha e hus challenged he
lin
guis ic de e minism
o
p e ious
c i ics and in
um
p oduced non- essen ia
li
s heo ies
o
subjec i i y and sex.uali y.
Acco ding o h
ei
new
mode
o
c
i icism, « eminine di e ence»
in
language in ol es
any
kind
o
es
is
ance-
h ough
amb
igui
y,
con adic ion
o
ansg
es
sion- o he gen
e-
al
co
nsensual
me
anin
gs
ha
p
e en
he
ex.p
ession
o
a gi en emale consciousness.
Such conside a ion has i s philosophical o igin
in
he
co
n
cep
o language as
discou se as
p
oposed by Bakh in (Bakh in; Voloshino ), o hc
li
e a y heo
i
s s (Fowle ;
K
ess
and Hodge; Pecheux), lan
guage
philosophe s (Aus in;
Sea
l
e)
and linguis s and
sociolinguis s (Halliday;
Gumpe z
and
Hymes
). By di
sco
u se
h
ey
unde s and a
se
o
indi idual u e ances
whose
meaning
is
shaped by he speci ic social and cul u al
condi ions
o
he speaking o w i ing subj
ec
. Wo ds a e he e o e no nonoli hic meaning
cn i ies, bu uni s ha , because cons an ly exchanged
be w
een pa icula human subjec
s
,
acqui e di e en neanings
and
pe onna i e e ec s.
84
Ma ía
A111011
ia
Ol e
and Mi eia T enchs
Taking as ou depa ing poin he no ion ha language is no o be disassocia
ed
om he ideological and communica i c con ex
in
which i is p oduced, we canno s
ce
hc s ylis ic analysis
o
li c a y ex s
as
an aim in i sel . Wc a he iew
i as
a way
o
idc
n i
y
he ways in which language al e s o main ains hc
idco
logi
ca
l
pa
am
e e s
o
a
gi en his o ical momen . Thus, he
co
mmon New England adicional Pu i an
back-
g ou
nd
o
he h ee Ame ican emale poe s ha con
cem
us-Anne
B ads ee
(1612-
72), Emily D
ic
kinson (1830-86) a
nd
Syl ia Pla h ( 1932-
63)-
should come
h ough
wi h he analysis
o
hei espec i e poems: «Fo De
li
c an
ce
om
a Fe e
,»
«I Meas u
e
E e y G ie / I Mee
,»
and «Fe e
103~
»
(See Appendixes A, B and C). They
al!
desc i-
be hc ex eme physical o psychical su c ing
o
a emale speake as a esul
o
he
ension be wcen he elemen s o a bina y opposi ion: he
lesh
and he spi i ,
o
he
ea h
ly
and he di ine, in B ads ee 's; « he Lo
e
» and he pain in Dickinson 's,
and
pa adisc and he
ll
in Pla h 's. Thc way he ension be ween h
ese
elemen s is esol ed
gene a es a language so ne
o who
se seman ic, syn ac ic.
h
e o ical and
i
gu a i e ea u es
sp ing ou
o
he speake s' concep o hemsel es in
c
la i
on
o an opp essi e pain ul
si ua ion. Being he speake 's
cl
a ion o pain he hema
i
c ocus o ou analysis, we
do
no claim o say c e y h
in
g abou hese ex s: we will a he con
ce
n a e on
h
ose linguis ic
ea u es ha poin a
ou
cen al conce n.
Fi s
o
al!, a clo
se
look a he common linguis ic cha ac e
is
i
cs
,
i
any, in
he
p csen a ion
o
hc h
ce
cmale poe ic pe sonas should allow us o alk ab
ou
a
«di e ence» in language. Ou use
o
he e m «di e ence» does no assume
h
e exis
ence
o
an «éc i u e emi
ni
ne» o a biologically-based emale cul u e essen ially di e en
om
h
e gene al cul W'e.
I
c c s o hese w i
e s'
discu si e cla ionship o he domina
n
ideology, hei «powc s
o
p o es and change» (Yaege 18).
Ou
objec
i
e
is
o
look
a
h
e possible indi idual s a egies
o p o
es a
nd
dissen ion
in
hese ex s un eiling
« he
sys cm
o
di e cnccs and he ep essi e powc s, as
we
ll
as
he
ec
hnologies
o
exclusion»
(Za ala 220) (ou ansla ion), as well as o es ablish a dialogue be ween he ex s
by
explo ing how hey di e om and esemble each o he
in
such un eiling.
In hc i s ou lines
o
«
Fo
Dcli e ance om a Fe e ,» he speake b ie ly
ecapi ula es a p e ious pain ul pligh om which
Go
d elcased he . Al
ea
dy in
h
e i s
s anza
o
he poem she p ese
n
s
he
sel
as
an objec h ough he ei e a i e use o
he
objec p onoun 'me': «When so ows had begi me ound»
(!
), «
Th
en dids Thou id
me
ou » (4) (ou i alics). Such p escn a ion is ein o ced h ough he pe soni ica ion
o
«S
o ows» and «pains» in he same s anza.
The
use o he passi e oice («no pan
was
ound» [ 3)) oge he wi h he e
e
ence o h
e
body pa s as pe soni ied indepcnden
en i ies («My bu ning ílesh in swca did boil» [50), «My aching head did
b
eak» [6])
demons a e a delibe a c a oidance
o
he su
bj
ec p onoun a
nd
highl
ig
h he inac ion
and objec i ica ion
o
he speake
.
H
e
agony and powe lessness is con eyed h ough
bo
h
he in cnsi ica ion
o
he e bs deno ing ph
ys
ical su e ing (h
oil
and h eak) by
means
o
he p eceeding auxilia y «did
,»
and h ough
h
e ex ual weakness
o
he «l.»
Whene e he i s pe son subjec p onoun is used, i is be a e e bs o s uggle ( «I
Tm n ds a Poe ics
o
Selj
- ep esema ion 85
oil») o e bal ph ases indi
ca
ing opp ession («So
a
i
n
I could no speak»[8J,
«No
cou
ld I cad my c idenee» [ 11 ]). Fu he weakcni
ng
he pe sonal p onoun a e
he
syn ae ic cons uc ions
o
so ne lines, whc c i us
ua
lly
ap
pea s embedded
a
e
an
hype ba on
o
an adjec i e: «F o
n
side o side
o
case
J oil/ So ain I could
no
speak» (7-8).
In he hi d s anza (9-12) he speake i
n
oduces
h
e soul, he second elemen
o
he dicho o ny a ound which he poem e o es.
The
i s
and only enjambmen
o
he
pocm
(«
Bccloudcd was my soul wi h ea /
o Thy
displeasu e so e» [9-WI), se es o
emp
hasize he objec
o
he soul's ca and o indica c a mo nen
o
c isis. «My soul»
can be cad
as
a me onymy
o
hc speake 's «l,» he
sel ,
bu
since i is men ioned igh
a
e
«My bu ning lesh» and «My aching head» o
co
n as ,
i
also acqui es ce ain
au onomy.
The
agmen
a
ion
o
he sp
eake
in o di e cn pa s. h
e
inne con!lic
be
ween
h
e physical and hc spi i ual. he human
and
hc
di ine, is ep oduced in he
s uc u c o he s anza: hc poe ic pe sona expe ien
ces
ea as a consequence
o
he
physical pain an ang y God
pu1s
he h ough, while
she
also
ques ions hc exis ence
o
he di ini y: «No could I ead ny e idence/ Which
o
I ead be a e» (11-12). In hc
con ex
o
Pu i anism he «e idence» can
be
in e p c ed as he « isible p oo
o
he
exis cnce
o
God» h ough c ea ion
(S
an o d 50). The
speake
looses ai h
n
o
n
en a ily
and he e o e ques ions he p e ailing Cal inis
dogmas.
In he ou h s anza
o
he poem
(l
ines
13
-1
6)
h
e mood changes o
n
sel -
dep eca ion o i np eca ion. So a hc speake has
becn
ad
d essing God as «
Tho
u,» a
p onoun commonly used o in i nacy wi h God in he
six
cen h and
ea
ly se en een h
ccn u ies (Ronbe g 76). bu he use
o
impe a i es ( «
Hide
no ,» «F om bu nings keep
ny soul») makc h
e
add ess mo e ou spoken,
anc
i
he
dcspe a ion mo e acule. In spi e
o
he in ensi y
o
he
physical su e i
ng
, she
in
ali y ies
o
depe sonalize i : she ceascs
o e e o h
e
own body and
us
es he gene al « lesh» ( 18). In objec i ying «ílcsh» shc
e ums
o
he Pu i an ime p e a ion ha su e ing
is
God 's ia!
o
he spi i ual cndu ance.
Jn he las lin
cs
o
he s anza shc casse s
he
ai h wi h an acknowlcdgmen o he
absolu c dependance on
1he
de
i
y:
«I on Thy ne cies oll» (16)
The
p ocess
o
b inging
he sel
back o
God
con inu
es
wi h hc
spcake 's
ecogni ion
o
he insigni icance
o
he body and
o
hc in ini ely supe io wo h
o
he
soul ( «Wha hough in dus i shall be la id/ To glo y
'sha
ll be b ough » [ 19-20)). Such
ecogni
i
on is concomi an o he elease om pain
by
God. In he las s anza o he
poem he speake goes b
ac
k o
h
e ins i u iona
li
zed,
mo
e unpe sona
li
zed he o ic
o
Pu i an hymns. The apos ophc
o
in oca ion be a e
li
u gical ph ases
(<<O,
p
a
ises o
my migh
y
God
» (25)) and he use o he hi d pe son o e e o God signa! a mo e
indi ec
com
munica ion s yle wi h he dei y, as
we
ll
as he poc ic pe sona 's e u n o a
eligious co n nuni y o n which she had been empo a ily de ached.
B ads ee does no belie c he sel o
be
in possession
o
ee will, and he e o e
sees God as he ul ima e
ca
use
o
bo h
he
su e ing
and
he spi i ual ede np ion. In
con as , in «I measu e
e e
y G ie / I nee » Emily Dickinson does no scek
Godas
he
86 Ma ía
A11111nia
O/i e and
Mi eia
e11chs
so u ce
o
con
so
la
ion. While B ads ee begins h
e
pocm
asan
add ess o God, Dick
in
so
n
does so wi h he «I»
so
o en eluded
o
weakened in B ads ee .
The
poe ic pe sona
is
ac i e, cu ious and eage o p obe in o he na u e
o
su e ing
by
looking closely a
i .
Shc no es, mcasu es and wonde s.
As
hc abounding lexicon cl
a c
d o knowledge
and
pe cep ion indica es,
he
scien i ic mc hod is induc i e: she hopes o each
so ne
con
clusion ou
o he
empi i
ca
l obse a ion
o
ac s. He analysis is quali a i e. as shown
in he i s
wo
s anzas, in which she
wonc.le s
abou he weigh . size and du a ion
o
he
g ie she obse es in olhc s in
o c.le
o be able o compa e hem o
he
own:
I wonde i
I
weighs
like Mine-
O has an Easic size.
1 wonde
i
They bo e i long-
O
did
i
jusl b
egin-
(4-8)
Like B ads ee "s sp
ea
ke , she is an ob
se e
o
he
na u al wo ld.
While
B ads ee 's pe sona p esen s a single
mo
men
o
doub wh
en
she
canno ead « he
c idencc» o cn cad be o e and hen b ings hc scl home o
God
, Dickinson 's cu iosi y
see ns o ha e no bounda ies: he ecu en! use
o
he
e b «
wonde
»
and
o
he his
o ie
p esen indica es ha he
mood
is pe manen ly in e oga ing.
Tn
he hi d s
an
za
he
inquisi i encss ccn e s a ound how
o
he s cxpc icnce li e:
I wonde
i
i hu s o li e-
Anc.l
i hey ha e o y-
And
whc he
-could
They-
choose be ween-
T
would no be-Lo
c.lie
-(12-16)
By means
o
he
sel -in e oga ion abou o he pcople ·s expe iences he speake
dwells on h ec cha ac e is ics
o
li e acco ding o he Cal inisl dogma: li e as pain
( 12), csigna ion ( 13), and ine i able human a c (14- l 6).
Thc
use
o
he condi ional
(«could hey»
1141)
ind
ic
a
e
s he impossibi
liLy
o changc hings, bu i also implies a
wish o
do
so. Th ough he
em
pa hic cu iosi y abou whe he o he s ind i ha d o
acce
p
li e as
i
is, he sp
eake
indi cc ly p esen s he
ow
n exis en ial p ec.licamcn . Such
an a i ude is co
n
a y o he Cal inis ai h ul's exclusi ely indi idual dealings wi h
God.
Also an agonis ic wi h ega d o Cal inism is he occasionally uncon cn ional
use
o
Bíblica! e e ences. In he ou h s an
za
o
lhe poem he speake uses a mixed
me apho o e e o he es o a ion
o
ai h: a enew
ed
smilc ( 19), cha ac e ized as ligh
wi h he Biblical image
o
he lamp-ligh .
The
l adi ional image
o
he lamp ull
o
oil
o1 n ds a P
o ies
o
Sel - ep esell a i011 87
symbolizi
ng
he blazing ligh
o
Ch is ian ai h (Ma .
5,
14-16; Mali. 25, 1- 13) is sligh ly
ans mmed h ough modi ic s («Al!
imi a io11
11{
a
ligh
/ Tha
ha
s so li le oil» [20-21]
[ou i alics)) ha diminish i s c ec and d aw
a cn ion
o
h
e empo a iness o
« he
smilc» symholizing joy, ai h and
ho
pe.
One
o
Dickinson
's
li e-long e o s was o
exp ess
he indigna ion
a a
God
ha
ga e human heings a li e
o
cons an! dep i a ion
and
pain.
Beeause Diekinson
ne e
saw
God's
me
ey on ea h. shc c used o helie e in hc pleasu es
o
an a e -li e. «Unlike
he
se
n imen al poe ess-pee s she could no
e ase
his
pain in g a i ude o
li e-
c e
las ing-no . likc hc Pu i ans, could shc accep i
as
dcse ed punishmen o sin»
(Bcnne
71
). The only wo ds in he ex ha could be associa ed lo
God
's benign
powe
(«Ligh ,» «Enligh ened» and «Lo c») a e used
ambiguously
despi e hei clea Bíblica!
implica ions. The cadc is aced wi h hc gap be ween
he
posi i e Bib
li
cal conno a ions
o
he wo d « Enlig
h
encd
>H:<
m en ionally e e
JTi
ng
o
he
expe
i
enee
o
di ine spi i ual
ins
igh -
and he nega i e conno alions
o
i s objcc ,
«a
la ge
Pain.» Dickinson cla i ies
he o igin
o
su
ch
inc ease in pain by me ely sayi
ng
h
a
i eme ges ou
o
he
«Con
a
s
wi h he Lo c» (32). Howe c . he na u e
o
such
!o e
emains unspeei ied and
open
o in c p e a ion.
The
de ini e a icle would
indica e
ha « he Lo e» is eommon
knowlcdge o bo h he speake and hc eade , bu hc
eade
s ill does
no
know whe he
i
is ea hly
o
di ine. Be
i
one o he o he , «Lo e»
is
no a
«Balm»; i in ensi ies pain.
Thc speake is ci hc demy hi ying di ine lo e by diminishing i s powe o elie e
he
pain.
o
poin ing a he uselessness and insigni icancc
o
an ea
hl
y !o e when in pain.
Cha les R. Ande son in c p e s he dual
meaning
o
Dickinson 's
wo
ds as
he
esul
o
he cnsion
o
wo powe ul opposi cs («!o e
and
dea h, ecs asy and despai »)
and sheds so ne ligh
011
he pa icula alue
o
!o e
and
pain in <d Measu c E e y
G ie
l Mee »: «
...
in place
o
he Pu i an icw ha eai1hly su e ing is
he
o dained pa h o a
hea enly ewa d
o
bliss. she makes he momen a y glimpse
o
ecs asy bo h measu e
and cause
o he
despai ha
is
h
e essence
o he
human condi ion» (Ande son, «Despai »
33).
The
e4uen allusions o su e ing in eon as wi
h
he sca ci y
o
hose o pleasu c
and elie ce ai
nl
y con i1ms he sup cmaey
o
despa
i o c ecs asy
in
he ex and
shows, as Andc son has also no ed. ha hc co ela ion bc ween ecs asy and despai is
no exac .
The
p ecminence
o
dea h o e !o e is also
show
n in he speake 's g im iew
o
dea h. Dca h. men ioned as one
o
h
e causes
o
su e ing (36), «is bu
one-And
comes
bu
once»
(36-37).
The
speake
uses
se e a! esou ces o
emp
hasize he
dis inc i eness
o
Dca h: i s . he choice
o
wo simila - sounding wo ds whieh deno e
singula i y (
«one»
and
«once»); seeo
nd
. hei plaeemen a
h
e end
o
he lines, which
makes h
em
mo e p ominen - he
same
e cc
is
achi
e ed
in hc hi d s a
nza
wi h he
is
ola ion
o
he e b «
o
Die» placed be ween das
he
s
a
he end
o
bo h a line and a
s anz
a-;
and
hi d, he epe i ion
o
hc ad e b «bu » be o e hose wo wo ds.
The
c cc
o
hesc poe ic s a egies is o p esen Dea h as a olund e en as well as o poin a i s
inali y: i «only nails hc Eyes» (38).
Ou
o
he
wide ca alog
o
e c ences lo pain
d awn ou
o
Biblical e minology. he speake uses he nail, a Ch is ian symbol
o
88 Mw·ía Amonia
Oli e
and
Mi eia T enc/ s
sac i ice, o p cscnl a concep
o Dea h
which di e s om he
Ch is ian
one: dea h
does
no b ing sal a ion bu only pa alysis and mu ila ion. Wi h
dca h
he speake
wo
uld
lose he «analy ic e yes» ha enable h
e
Lo
sc u ini
zc
he mys e ies
o
na u c,
h
a i
s,
he
powc o obse e.
Dcspai . a
no h
e
cause
o
g ic , is also gi en
an
idiosync a ic meaning. Andc son
says ha in Dickinson
's
poe y dcspai may be unde s ood, in
he
Ch is i
an
sense,
as
he «loss
o
hope in he me ey
o
God.» o , in a mo e secula way, as « he ex emes!
o
m
o
mo al su e ing» (15). Th ough hc in c ed
commas
and
he use
o
epo ed
speech hc speake c ea es a dis ancing e cc and, hc e o e. disclaims any amilia i y
wi h he eeling
o
«Despai » as o he s may de ine and pc cei c i .
In
his case. Dickinson
's
pe sona could be implying ha she does no expc ience «Despai » in a Ch is ian, bu
a
h
c
in a secula scnsc. Al hough she dc achcs he scl om he p e ailing no ion
o
despai . shc cso s
o
hc common Ch is ian cligious image
o
he
Cal a y
o
c e
o
li
e
as su e ing. Cal inis s would ind elie om hei
g ie
in
God, bu he speake
inds com o in no ing « he ashion
s-o
he/
C oss-/
And
how
hey' e
mos ly wo n»
(46-48). ha is, in knowing
ha
o he s may be expe icncing hc
same
G ie as hc s.
In hc las s an
za
o
he poem he wo d «C oss,» isol
a e
d in linc 47 a e
an
cnjambmen , p o ides he chiclc
o
a me apho whose eno is
«g
ie .» Ini ia ed in he
i s s anza (I wonde
i
l
weighsl like
mine
[ou i alicsl
[4-
5]), i is ex end
ed
h ough
hc
seco
nd
(1
wo
nd
e
i
They
ho e i l
ong
[ou
i al
i
cs
[ [71},
and
inally
speci ied
in « ash
ions-o
hc
C oss
-a
nd
how
hcy' e
mos ly
wo n.» «C oss»
is
appa en ly used as a
co
n e
n iona
l
me apho
o
pain
and
sac i ice
p e ious o
hea enly
gl
o y
and
c
demp
ion. Yc .
i
is in open
co
n l
ic
wi h
he
a o e
-mcn ion
ed
ambi alen
use
o
eligious
e e
en
ces
and
wi
h
hc
poc ic
pe sona's
sel -
in c oga ion
abou
he
Ca
l inisl
dogmas.
The
usual
conno a ions
o
e
li
gious
concep s
in e
mingl
e
wi h
he
pe sona
l mcanin
gs
shc
wan s
Lo in use hcm wi h,
which al e s
hei
signi icance
wi hin he
p
e a
ilin
g
ideology
hal
p oduce
d such
e ms: «ins cad
o
su
ace
bo owings she plunde
ed
hem ou igh , s ealing he sec e s
by
whi
ch
hey ga e
li
c
and powe o wo ds, bu ans alua ing hem so as lo c ea c
an
idiom
o
he own» (Ande son, «Wo ds» 145).
Syl ia Pla h also a emp s o
c
ea e an idiom
o
he
own
al he expense
o
a
cligious adi ion. Ye he hema ic ocus is nol a gene al concep . bu a pa icula
expe ience. Dickinson's c ea i e engine
is
he «Hea cnly Hu » ha he na u al wo ld
b ings upon he , he lack
o
hannony be ween inside and ou side.
The
idea
o
dep i a ion
in gene al wi
h
no
pa ic
ul
a
a en ion o a gi en objec
o
pe son is cen al o he poe y,
whe eas Pla h is speci ic and pe sonal. Dickinson
's
mood ellec s one
o
cu iosi y
whi le Pla h ·s one
o
agony.
I
Diekinson ·s pe sona in e oga es he sel bu ne e ques ions
hings
op
enly, Pla h
's
begins «Fe e
10
3<1»
by <li ec ly qucs ioning hc exis ence
o
pu i y («Pu
e'!
Wha does i mean?»).
The
di ec ness and simplici
y
o
hese ini ial
he o ical ques ions d aw
he
eade 's a en ion o «pu e» o which he poe p oceeds
o
jux
apose con as ing, pene a ing images.
Towa ds a Poe ics o Sel - ep esema ion 89
Sickness, hcll, physical
agg
ession as well as
psyc
hological
ago
ny a e a
li
se
o
agains pu i y (
1)
and !o e ( 11
).
Pla h uses he ech
niq
ue
o
me apho by jux aposi ion:
shc
places images d awn ou o
my
ho
logy (Ce bc us
kceping
Hades' ga e)
an
dPu i an-
Cal inis image y (
«h
ell,» « hc
i
n
de
c ics»), bcsides images
o
modem
Ji
e
(lsad
o a
Duncan 's dea h. Hi oshima ash, adia ion) a
nd
physica
l sensa ions ( «indelible smell» ),
lc i
ng
hei
co
nno a ions ha e hei e ec on he
cade .
E
il
haun s he o mcn ed
consciousness
o
lhe de
li
ious speak
e
ha c ams
ogc he
scaue ed i
mp
essions
and
blen
ds
a ious
sens
i i e pe
ce
p ions ( «smell,» «
snu e
d,» «licking,» « ongu
e,»
«wheeze»
).
Thc conncc ion by isual analogy
bc
ween
he
im
ages d awn om di e en
soun:es wo ks o build a cohesi e whole ou
o
hem
all
( «Longue,» « endon.» « o
li
s» o
«Smoke,» «sca
"
»
).
The scnse
o
agony
is
p olonged h ough hc cx ension
o
he
mc
ap
h
o o
l
sado
a
's
sca which chokcs « hc aged,» « hc meek,» « hc wcak
ho
housc baby» and « he ghas ly
o chid» whose weakness he speake sha es.
Th ough
a simul aneous me apho
and
similc (25-27)
she
me ges he idea
o
adul e y and
he
ho o
o
Hi oshima's a omic
bomb
while s ill ex lending hc image
o
he
ll
(« adia ion,»
ki
li
, «ash»
).
Thc associa
i
on
o
images (Hi oshima/ adul e y) culmina
es
in
ano he
e c ence o «The sin» (27),
which cha ac
e
izes he n ali.
The
epe i ion
o
his n
oun
ph ase signals a najo syn ac ic
b eak and ca apho ically e e s o he s
ou
ces o
he
agony. The speakc 's oubled
co
n
sc
iou
s
ness
has bccn e ealed
h oug
h i id i
mages.
b
u
he easons o h
e
psychological agony a e no ye de ini e.
He
l
en
McNei 1 a gucs
h
a he unc ion
o
hc
subjcc i e ly ic oice
o
Pla h 's la e poems
is
« o
mask
he ac s
o
a d
ee
p
e
scl while
si nul aneously acing hci p escncc by an
o
hc wi
se
inexplicable ehcmcnce» (471
).
Si
ncc he ac s unde lying he spcake 's cmo ional ou pou ings a e aken
o
g an ed,
he in c ac ion
o
he conno a
i
ons o he mul iple
images
has a pie ci
ng
e ec on hc
ea
de ,
bu
makes i s ill di ic
ul
o guess wha he p
oem
is exac ly abou .
Like Dickinson, Pla h conceals wha c
e
i
is
ha
is hu ing he , bu he mo i es
o do so a e e y di e en
.
Benne a gues ha «p o iding a cen e (whe h
e
o no o n
h
e
own
biog aph
y)
should ha e cs ic ed [Dickin
son's]
poem's meaning
am
i hus
cduced he ange
o
ap
plicabili y i could ha c» ( 130).
I
Dickinson 's language
is
iddle-
like,
i
he
neani
ng
o
«C oss» and «Lo e» is a nbi alen , i
is
because, as Axel od
says, she «explo es he capaci
y
o language o ep esen! and disguise he wo ld.» In
con as , «
Pla
h
exp
lo es i s capaci y o e ea! and conceal a sel » (Axel od 144). A
onnen ed
sel lies behind he
im
pe
so
nal he o ic o emo ion and he powe ul i nages
o
he i s pa
o
he poem ( 1-33 ), bu he speake
<loes
no lay ba e he easons o
he
own p i ale agony u
n
il
he
las wo s anzas o his i s pa (28-33), whc e she makes
ecu en allusions o adul e y. In spi e
o
he add essing a «Lo c,» a «
Da
ling,» she
ne e
po
in s
di
ec
l
y a ha pe son
as
he agen
o
such an o ence. A gene alizing
plu al (
«adul e e s») and
an
inde ini e a icle («a lech
e 's
kiss») e iden
ce
h
e
eluc an
ce
o di
ec
h
e
e
p oach o
he
lo ed one.
Axel od says ha Pla h saw he sel
and
he hu
sba
nd
Ted Hughes «as doubles in
90
Ma ía
/ 111011ia
0/ e
ami
Mi eia T enchs
o dc
o c ca e g ounds o ma iage and hen in o de o
sa e
hei ma iage
(o o
e ade il)» ( 15). Syl ia 's my
h
o hc doublc anish
ed
wh
cn
he
ma iage collapsed,
bu
she con inued o use i in h
e
li e a y p oduc ions
in
o dc o illus a e
he
inne di isio
ns
h ough language ( 196-197). She was o n be ween he side
o
he
ha wan ed o be
hc
pc ec su
bm
issi e wi e and hc side ha wan ed o be ee. In
he
i s pa1
o
he
pocm
he yellow
smo
k
es
olli
ng
«F om me
li
ke Jsado a 's sca es
...
« ( 12) which will
hen
«
...
ca ch and ancho in hc whecl» ( 13) c okc hc imagc
o
somebody
who
is
being
p e en ed om speaking. In he con ex.
o
Pla h 's li c. he
pocm
can
be in e p c ed
as
he s ugglc o cu he ies wi
h
he
old choking domes
i
c li c, wi h
he
husband
and
wi h he silencc. Thc sccond pa l
o
hc puem enac s hc
c ca ion
o
a new sel wi h a
new language and could be said o co espond o wha
Axcl od
sees
as an al em
p
o
ca i m ami ec ea e he se
l
h ough wo ds a c he husb
and
's dcse ion and
hc
humilia ion
i
in ol ed.
In
he las! sc en s anzas
o
«Fc c 103º» (34-
54
) he one
ce
ases o be denuncia o y
o lamcnling and beeomes powe ully sel -asse i e.
l
in he i s lincs
o
he poem
he
speake denies he exis ence
o
pu i y h ough
an
i he ical, apocalyp ic images.
shc
now inds a sou ce
o
pu i y in he selL The new «l.» add cssing an unknown «you.»
is
«
LOO
pu e o him
o
anyone» (25). She
<loes
no diminish he signi icance
o
he su c i
ng
as Anne B ads ee
<loes
be o
e
God
.
bu
ma
gni ies i o
h
e poin
o
co
mpa ing he pain
o di ine su c ing:
You Body
Hu s
me
as he wo ld hu s
Gocl
...
(35-36)
The new pe sona
o
he poem eme ges ou
u
Pla h 's
p
í a e my hs and images.
He me apho ic sel - ep esen a ion as pe manen ligh . splen
do
and hea , con as ing
wi h p c ious imagcs (
«I ha
e
been llicke ing o , on,
o!T.
on»
[29]) signals he suddcn
ans o ma ion
in o
an
inc easingly
powe ul,
aluable
and
bcau i ul heing.
The
ci e a ion
o
p esen
paniciples
linked by polisynde on (42)
cm
ph
asizes he isi
ng
o
h
e
enc gy. Thc hc o ical ques ion, in ac an asse ion,
«Docs
no
my
hea as ound
you. And my ligh » (40) is a
p oo
o
h
e
scl -con idencc. ein o ccd wi h he ecu en!
e c ences o he i s pe
son
( «I am,» «my,» «mysel » ).
Conce ning hc o igin
o
Pla h
's
images, Susan Bassnc has said ha she ound
inspi a ion a
he
languagc a
nd
h
e
a in he my hs she app op ia
ed
and ee ea ed
o
suil
he
pe sonal ision (47).
Howe e
. as Louis Simpson a gues. Pla h 's images a e
su
ealis . «They make an
im
p ession hal eanno be accoun ed o by Jooking o hei
sou ces
o
my hology
o
he
li
e o lhe poe . The image is i sel , a ncw hing» (126).
This is cc ainly
me
o
mos
o
he images
in
his las sec ion. d awn ou
o
cli e en
my hol
og
ical sou ees and me ged o p oduce inno a i e su p ising e ec s. Ex.o ic images
li
ke
«A
lan e n»
(36),
"ª
moon/
o
Japanese pape » (37-38), «my gold bea en skin»
(38), a e in
deep
co
n as! wi h Ch is ian e e enccs: «Yi gin/ A ended
by
oses» (47-
Towa ds a Poe ics
o
Scl - cp csema io11 91
48). Thc i
co
ns
o
di e en adi ions coalescc and
esu
l
in he eme gcnce
o
a pe sonal
my hology, in which pe sonal idiosync a ic ass
ocia ions
also ha e a place: «ace ylenc/
Vi gin» (46-47).
Thc ising momen um and ecs a ic one
o h
c
pocm
(«l hink I am going u
p-/
I
hi
nk
I may ise» [ 43-44]), culmina e in he asccn
o
hc
poe ic pe sona, who d aws
on
he image
o
hc Assump ion
o
he Vi gin Ma y o illus a e he own spi i ual g ace.
Dcpcnding on whe
he
we conside Pla h 's pe sona
's
ascen an «Assump ion»
o
an
«Ascension» wc w
ill
see
he
as a mo e
o
lcss
au
onomous
being. Following hc ene s
o Ca holicism, hc onne , applied o he Yi gin
Ma y,
in o
l
cs God's in e en ion,
whe eas he la e , applicd o Ch is , in ol es ascen by one 's own di ine powe . I
is
ne
e
explici ly s a ed ha he speake
i,es
on
he
own,
bu s
he
eme ges as powc ul
and au onomous («A
li
by
mysel »
14
1
J)
. Thc my hical igu e
o
he V
i
gin is uscd o
cm
phasize he pu i y
o
hc
new
sel and o
c
jc
c hc ic imizcd, epulsi e old scl ,
he
«old who e pc icoa s» (53
).
The speake econs uc s hc sel h ough
he
image o
h
e
ising Yi gin as pu c and agile,
bu
also as a single en i y, independen om he «you»
and he «híms»
(5
1-52).
Acco ding o Judi h K oll, G a es's The Whi e Goddess inspi cd Pla h in
hc
c ea ion
o
h
e
poc ic sel
:
... hc Whi e Goddess, he sou ce
o
a
ll
poc
y
and
o
ali li e, he sublime use,
s ands in di ec
con
as
o
he male a he ly
God
o
Ch is iani y and a ionalis n.
She is no co
ns
an
and
ixed bu luid and in pe pe ua! mo emen , symbolized
by he phascs
o
he moon. The moon goddess is, simul aneously, goddess
o
h ee s agcs
o
emalc exis ence-she is hc i gin hun ess
o
he new moon, he
p egnan mo
he
o he
u
ll moon and he wild
hag
o
he ncw moon (Bassnc
48).
The i s wo phases
o
he Whi
e
Goddess
co
cspond
o
hc wo si des
o
Pla h 's
poe ic pe sona in hc sccond pa
o
he
po
em. She is
bo
h pu e and delica e, bu also
s ong enough
o
p oduce he own ebi h h ough he poe ic language. She
is
he e o e
bo h poe
ancl
muse.
F azc 's The Golden Bough also helped Pla h
co
ns i u e
he
poe ic philosoph
y.
The
wo k amí
li
a ized Pla h wi h hc no ion
o
he inwa d soul as unde s ood by
p e
-
indus ialized communi ies,
«'a
bi d eady o
a
ke !lig
h '
.»
Fo
he i became h
e
own
e
al
c ea i e
sel
whosc absence mean dea h, an inne
sel
ha was he double
o
he
ou c sel . We c
she
o lose he capaci y o look a lhe wo ld om his double lense,
which migh ha c happened igh bc o c he suicide,
shc
would die (Axel od 205). This
in e p e a ion o Pla h
's
old/new sel as a «mo
dem
a ian
o
F
aze 's God who annually
died and ose again
om
he dead» (205),
is
in line wi h Judi h K oll's id
ea
ha Pla h
«was always ying o ' anscend' he li e she ac
u
ally had» (Simpson 106), and wi h
he inal images
o
«Fe e 103º .» C ea i e powc , no con en ional eligious ai h,
98 Ma ía An onia
O/i
e
and
Mi eia
T
e
nchs
APPENDIXC
'Fe e 103g',
by
Syl ia Pla h
Pu e? Wha does i mean?
2 The ongues
o
hell
3 A e dull, dull as he iple
4 Tongues
o
dull, a Ce be us
5
Who
wheezes a he
ga
e. Incapable
6
O
licking clean
7 The aguey endon, he sin, he sin.
8
The
inde c íes.
9
The
indelible smell
1
O
O
a snu ed candle
11
Lo e, lo e, he low smokes ol!
12
F om me like Isado a's sca es,
I'm
in a igh
13 One sca wi
ll
ca ch and anch
o
in
he wheel.
14
Such yellow sullen smokes
15 Make hei own elemen . They will no ise,
16 Bu undle ound he globe
17
Choking he aged and he meek,
18
The weak
19 Ho house baby in i s c ib,
20 The ghas ly o chid
2 l Hanging i s hanging ga den in he ai ,
22 De ilish leopa d
23 Radia ion u ned i whi e
24 A
nd
killed i in
an
hou .
25 G easing he bodies
o
adul e e s
26 Like Hi oshima ash and
ea
ing
in
.
27 The sin. The sin.
Towa ds a Poe ics
o
Sel - ep esen a ion
99
28 Da ling, ali nigh
29 1 ha e been licke ing, o , on, o ,
on
.
30 The shee s g ow hea y as a leche 's kiss.
31 Th ee days. Th ee nigh s.
32 Lemon wa e , chicken
33 Wa e , wa e make
me
e ch.
34 I am
oo
pu e
o
you o anyone.
35 You body
36 Hu s me as he wo ld hu s God. I am a lan e n-
37 My head a moon
38
O
Japanese pape , my
go
ld bea en skin
39 In ini ely
de
lica e and in ini
lel
y expensi e.
40 Does no my hea as ound you. And my ligh .
41
Ali by mysel l am a huge camellia
42 Glowing and coming
an
d going, lush
on
lush.
43 I hink 1
am
going up,
44
1 hink I may ise-
45 The beads
o
ho me al ly, and I, !o e, I
46
Ama
pu e ace ylene
47 Vi gin
48 A ended by oses,
49 By kisses, by che ubim,
50 By wha e e hese pink hings mean.
51
No you, no him
52 No him, no him
53 (My sel es dissol ing, old who e pe icoa s)-
54
To
Pa adise.