The analysis and the theme of the poem Ariel, one of the best poems of Sylvia Plath. Full text and analysis of Ariel.
Ariel Poem
“Ariel” is one of Sylvia Plath’s most famous poems, and it was published posthumously in 1965 as part of a collection with the same name. The poem is named after the horse that Plath rode during her last few months of life. Here is the full text of the poem:
Stasis in darkness.
Then the substanceless blue
Pour of tor and distances.
God’s lioness,
How one we grow,
Pivot of heels and knees!—The furrow
Splits and passes, sister to
The brown arc
Of the neck I cannot catch,
Nigger-eye
Berries cast dark
Hooks—
Black sweet blood mouthfuls,
Shadows.
Something else
Hauls me through air—
Thighs, hair;
Flakes from my heels.
White
Godiva, I unpeel—
Dead hands, dead stringencies.
And now I
Foam to wheat, a glitter of seas.
The child’s cry
Melts in the wall.
And I
Am the arrow,
The dew that flies,
Suicidal, at one with the drive
Into the red
Eye, the cauldron of morning.
Analysis
“Ariel” is a complex and powerful poem that is widely interpreted in different ways. Here are some possible interpretations and analyses:
Theme of death and rebirth: The poem begins with “Stasis in darkness” and ends with the speaker becoming “the arrow, the dew that flies, suicidal” into the “cauldron of morning.” This suggests a journey from a state of stasis or stagnation to a state of motion or transformation. The image of the horse, Ariel, becomes a metaphor for the speaker’s own struggle with mortality and the desire for rebirth.
Imagery and symbolism: Throughout the poem, Plath uses vivid and sometimes violent imagery to convey the speaker’s emotional intensity. For example, the “substanceless blue” that pours “tor and distances” suggests a void or abyss that the speaker is trying to overcome. The lioness and the horse both represent powerful and wild forces that the speaker seeks to harness. The “black sweet blood mouthfuls” and the “dead hands, dead stringencies” suggest the speaker’s grappling with the darker aspects of life and death.
Use of language: Plath’s use of language in “Ariel” is often unconventional and striking. For example, the enjambment of lines creates a sense of momentum and urgency, as if the speaker is racing towards a conclusion. The repetition of words and phrases, such as “God’s lioness” and “dead,” creates a haunting and unsettling effect. The use of unexpected imagery, such as “Nigger-eye / Berries cast dark / Hooks,” is both shocking and evocative.
Feminism and empowerment: Plath’s own feminist beliefs are often reflected in her poetry, and “Ariel” is no exception. The speaker’s journey can be seen as a metaphor for a woman’s struggle to break free from the constraints of society and assert her own identity. The image of the “white / Godiva” suggests a reclaiming of power and agency, while the language of the poem itself is bold and assertive.
Overall, “Ariel” is a powerful and challenging poem that continues to resonate with readers today. Its themes of mortality, transformation, and empowerment are universal and timeless, and its use of language and imagery is both innovative and striking.
