Sylvia Plath의 시 연구

Abstract

This thesis is a study on Sylvia Plath's poems. The main purpose of this study is the analysis of symbols and imagery mentioned in Plath's poems. Sylvia Plath was a poet who committed suicided in 1963 when she was 31 years old, leaving two children, and a body of brilliant work. She is regarded as 'confessional poet'. Her intensive aspiration to become a great poet, suicidal tendencies, and bitterness and despair of life are described in the poems she wrote throughout her life. In chapter I, I briefly explained some criticisms, her life and the method of the study. In chapter II, I classified Plath's poems in The Collective Poems according to the important turning points in her life, such as her wedding, delivery and separation from her husband, Ted Hughes, and then dealt with the individual subjects. I found symbols and imagery in her poems very impressive. In the poems these changed and developed. One example is as follows: the most important symbol used by Plath was that of "colossus". It symbolizes her late father and husband. Plath used many signs, symbols and much imagery in her poetry. "A child" symbolizes the poetry. "Mirror" is her mind. She perfected the "I" with "Ariel's Flight" in her poem, "Ariel". She exposed her mind by using Greek mythology. In her poems her father is Agamemnon and she is his daughters, Iphigenia in "The Colossus" and Electra in "Electra on Azalea Path". In chapter III, I summarized these important points. The subject matters of Plath's poems are very powerful, impressive, and her work is incisive, brilliant, intelligent. Her poetry expresses the release of pain and energy that occurred with the decision to break away from her emotionally damaging relationships. Savage anger and bitterness frequently appear in Plath's poems. I understand that Plath is a writer who refuses to conceal or disguise her true emotions; in articulating her aggression, hostility, and despair. She effectively illustrated her experiences of life in her poetry. Defining symbols and images in her poetry, these Sylvia Plath's poems are very useful in expressing her true self. In the process of the writings, she used the myth to demonstrate her inner world.