American Literture Questions

Transformations of Inner Self in the Poems of Plath and Rich

Sylvia Plath and Adrienne Rich are among the best female literary in the history of American literature . They have contributed a lot in realizing the great talent that rests on women of the contemporary times . Particularly , Plath 's poem , Ariel ' and Rich 's Diving into the Wreck ' provide readers with experiences of self transformation , promoting courage and transcendence of the human spirit

In Ariel , Plath depicts a process of human transformation and transcendence through a number of metaphors and symbols . Starting

with the image of darkness and bewilderment , the author situates the persona in substanceless blue ' or empty space . She pictures the persona as Ariel , the lion goddess , who travels from darkness to light . After being acquainted with darkness , the persona faces fears . She uses symbolism in Nigger-eye berries [that] cast dark Hooks (10-11 . As she compares her fears with berries , the author employs irony because berries are sweet and nice to eat , yet for her they represent fearsome aspects of her journey . The transformation begins with the mention of Godiva , the wife of Leofric , the Earl of Mercia , the former United Kingdom . It is said that the lady had a dispute with her husband over imposing of taxes , and the lady rode a horse naked to win the dispute over her husband . The presence of Godiva suggests courage of the persona , which later leads to her transcendence as her childlike fears disappear ( the child 's cry melts...