Daddy by Sylvia Plath | Poetry Analysis

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  • Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
  • Most people would agree that Sylvia Plath is a deeply tragic, but also voraciously creative talent. In fact, one could argue that her incredible creativity was partly a consequence of her personal tragedies (which were plenty - at least by first-world standards...!) A testament to her poetic genius is 'Daddy', which was published in 1965 in her seminal collection 'Ariel'. In ‘Daddy’, the speaker, who is presumably Plath herself, casts her father in a dark, traumatic light, but halfway into the poem, she shifts her characterisation of ‘Daddy’ into a man that’s implied to be her husband, fellow poet Ted Hughes. Dive deep into this poem with me as I weave together Plath's personal history, Freudian psychological concepts, and a close reading of the text's language and themes in this video!
    TIMESTAMPS:
    00:18 - Context of the poet
    02:24 - Analysis - Stanzas 1-3
    06:16 - Analysis - Stanzas 4-7
    09:08 - Analysis - Stanzas 8-12
    12:53 - Analysis - Stanzas 13-16
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 15

  • @roadlesstraveled34
    @roadlesstraveled34 5 місяців тому +12

    I've read this poem and listened to her speak it, which is just... Incomparable, so many times I've got it memorized. It speaks to me in such a deep, profound way. That and the use of the 'ooh" sound, a mourning sound. She was, for lack of a better word, a true genius but it feels like an understatement.

    • @JenChan
      @JenChan  5 місяців тому +2

      Oh 100%, Plath was a genius to say the least, but a deeply tragic one at that. Perhaps her genius also partly contributed to her personal tragedy.

  • @drziggyabdelmalak1439
    @drziggyabdelmalak1439 8 днів тому

    That was absolutely brilliant - your analysis and argument. [She is my favourite poet.] I shall certainly sign-up for watching your other videos. The only sad thing, in my opinion, is that we HAVE to do this [especially with poetry and modern art] nowadays to show we have some sort of academic understanding of the work. We can't just say anymore I like this or I don't like this without justifying why; or, it moves me, it leaves me cold. The other thing is, 'art' really should stand alone - and in the old days did. We know all about artists' lives now and start to inject that into their writing or music or art. And we don't have to go back hundreds of years - just think, the moment Ariel [as an example] hit the bookselves back in 1965 the poems were read by people [including myself - I was 13] who knew nothing about Otto or Ted Hughes because that wasn't out there in the public domain yet. So one read the lines and absorbed the images with no way of alluding to how she was treated by her father or husband. Yet, that seems now to be a pre-requisite to understanding her meaning! But it shouldn't be. Now we are looking for meaning [or reading meaning into!] people like Roald Dahl, because we are finding out all these things about his private life, philosophy and politics and because we find them unpleasant then inject that into his words or want to cancel him - yet a few years ago [when we knew nothing about his private life] we called him the greatest children's writer ever!

  • @9itsky
    @9itsky 8 місяців тому +7

    You’re freaking amazing

  • @oldelusive9257
    @oldelusive9257 6 місяців тому +1

    This is amazing; This complely changed my understanding of this poem

    • @JenChan
      @JenChan  6 місяців тому

      Amazing to hear - also interested to know what your original interpretation was (which is just as valid, by the way! Lit is all about the reader's response) But thanks so much for watching and stay tuned for more!

  • @jackwilliam3899
    @jackwilliam3899 4 місяці тому +1

    Studying this poem for my higher English Exam, helpful video!

  • @keenefongkaiwen3082
    @keenefongkaiwen3082 10 місяців тому +1

    Great video as always! I’m so looking forward to this new series of poetry! 😍😍

    • @JenChan
      @JenChan  10 місяців тому +1

      Thank you! And yes, stay tuned for a couple more in the next few weeks - all poetry analysis 😉

  • @aimi-838
    @aimi-838 6 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for this video! this really helps me understand the poem so that I can interpret it better. Keep up the great work :)

    • @JenChan
      @JenChan  6 місяців тому

      Great to hear, and thanks for letting me know! I appreciate you watching xxx

  • @kedeshagordon7133
    @kedeshagordon7133 10 місяців тому +3

    First one here! Thank you for all of your helpful videos. I know that you have stopped posting videos for Othello, but would you be able to post a video about key quotes related to one theme, and what small tips do you have on achieve the top grades? Thank you again!!

    • @JenChan
      @JenChan  10 місяців тому

      Have you seen my Othello playlist? I've got key quote analysis in there, too. I'm actually in the process of writing up an Othello essay guide, but that won't be available until at least end of this year/early next. I definitely will be posting more Othello (and Shakespeare) videos down the line though, so no worries there :) In the meantime, check this out: ua-cam.com/play/PLhe5sjPdsN7ZvLwrYNzwA2NOUcBFrfaHp.html&si=N--Q_LfGQmoYfRDX

    • @kedeshagordon7133
      @kedeshagordon7133 10 місяців тому +1

      @@JenChan Thanks you, the Othello study guide will be very helpful!!

  • @Alihaider-ci7gb
    @Alihaider-ci7gb 4 місяці тому

    thanks mam