ABSTRACT
TITLE : PATRIARCHY IN SYLVIA PLATH’S POEMS
Patriarchy is a social system in which males hold primary power and predominate in
roles of political leadership , moral authority , social privilege and control of
property . The main purpose of this presentation is to explicate some of Sylvia
Plath’s poems depicting women trapped within a patriarchal culture and struggling
against the “ humiliating roles ” prescribed by their counterparts . The American
literary canon mainly those of 1950s and 1960s , had portrayed women as
subservient citizens . Women in the American culture had been put under men’s
domination and thus lost their identity . As products of the era , a number of Sylvia
Plath’s poems depict confrontation against this phenomenon of patriarchy in which
women have been inferior to and abused by men . This presentation goes through
the poems like Ariel , Daddy , Lady Lazarus , Death & Co. , Fever 103º etc. of
Sylvia Plath and describes the condition of women under male domination . Sylvia
Plath being a confessional poet portrays this condition largely from her own
experiences . The conclusion derived is that the symbols that the poet uses in these
poems not only describes women’s conditions but also their desire to set themselves
free from these male dominated society . The word ‘death’ in these poems
symbolizes liberation . The elements of these poems are feministic because it is
largely based on women’s constant and anguish search for their identity , a typical
feminist theme .
Key words : Patriarchy , Sylvia Plath’s poems , American literary canon , feminist
theme.
SILPA K. ASOK
2nd PG M.A English
St. Aloysius College, Elthuruth
Thrissur , Kerala .
Kodath (H), Kurichikkara P.O,
Thanikudam, Thrissur - 680028
Kerala
Mob :- 9495169667 , 9447146789