Friday, November 1, 2013
Nick and the Candlestick
Usually, I am one to understand poetry very easily. I'm quick to get what the poet is talking about, and claims to support that. However, when reading Sylvia Plath, I had a hard time deciphering some of her work. My favorite, and I think the easiest to uncover the meaning would be Nick and the Candlestick. I think it is about a child, most likely a son, and she is getting ready for their birth. This is shown by the line "baby in the barn". It's interesting, though to hear her view on the world now. It sounds like she is envious of the safe compartment that her son has. She talks about the world as if it is a vile and dangerous place, and her son is safe with soft rugs and roses. It's strange to think about, but I wonder if this poem would be different in a different time period, or if it would be different if she thought it were a girl?
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I think that the world could always been seen as a dangerous place, and that mothers want to protect their children from it for as long as possible. I don't know that if it's just that way I'm thinking about things, but I don't think that her views would change if it was in a different time period. Also, I don't think it would change if she was talking about a daughter, because in either way they're her flesh and blood.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a good point about would it be different were it to be a girl? Perhaps in modern day today, i believe she would have thought the world wasn't such a dangerous place but I can understand why she might be envious of his safe compartment. If it were a girl perhaps she would still think that the world was a dangerous place for her but, expect something else from the girl?
ReplyDeleteI actually read this different from the way you read it! But now that i read you post the poem makes sense like this. WHen the speaker of the poem explains how the baby is safe with roses and soft rugs maybe thats when the baby is still inside her and she doesnt want it to come out into this world that is so dark like the cave. But as for the point with the girl... I originally got the feeling this poem had to do with religion and then i thought the baby could have been jesus in the barn so i do think if it was a girl it would be different.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed this poem, but I found it difficult to understand. I had a bit of a different way of looking at it. I used Sylvia Plath's bio and thought more about how she separated from her husband and then went on to kill herself. I viewed it more as talking about her body being an abandoned cavern and left used and forgotten.
ReplyDeleteBut I do like your interpretation to it, too. I think it would definitely be different if her son was a girl.