Phesant Analysis

Sylvia Plath The poem, , has a theme, which is talking about a complex relationship of Plath. Plath uses pheasant as a symbol for representing her complicating complex. This poem also conveys of realism of nature, which reflects to the reality of a human being. This poem consists of 8 identical stanzas. Each stanza contains 3 lines. It has an irregular rhyme scheme and an imperfect rhyme. Plath starts off the poem directly. The first word of the poem, “You”, reveals that Plath is having a conversation or a negotiation with someone.

The first 2 lines in the poem depict a serious but quiet atmosphere with slight grudges. Thus, Plath has shown a tone of pleading, reflected by the phrase “Do not kill it”. Then, the poem comes up with a run-on verse. It reveals Plath is emphasizing the idea here. “The jut of that odd, dark head” obviously is portraying the appearance of a pheasant. It also illustrates that Plath sees a pheasant, whose head is staying upon the uncut grass, is pacing around. Plath also sets a foil to the peaceful atmosphere by the slow pace of the pheasant.

There is a great dichotomy with the first line of the poem. The ambiance has been changed abruptly. The following lines show that Plath is talking with somebody softly, not owing to forgiveness, it is because Plath seems like suffering from hell pain and weak to convey words. “I am not mystical”, the first line in third stanza, indicates that Plath is connecting to spiritual aspect of thing, perhaps like God. And then, Plath is referring to the pheasant. Plath “thought it had a spirit” and “in its element”. The concept of Plath is that the pheasant belongs to the nature, as it is an element of it.

Plath implicitly conveys that if the peasant need to end up its life, it should be caused naturally but not by any man-cause. That’s what Plath is halting somebody from killing the pheasant. In the forth stanza, Plath perhaps depicts that pheasant is a paramount, wonderful creature in Plath’s mindset. “Kingliness” portrays the pheasant is living proudly in the nature. There are landmarks by the pheasant hither and thither, illustrated by the word phrase “tail-track”. In addition, the fifth stanza is a resonation of the forth stanza, which emphasize the gorgeous aspect of the pheasant.

The word “wonder” echoes with the word “kingliness”. Plath also projects that pheasant is unique and special and can stand out to catch her attention among other birds. The “pallor” of the pheasant is charming and captivating. Afterward, Plath comes up with a question and a statement at the same time. “Is it its rareness, then? It is rare. ” this line reveals the pheasant has occupied an important position of Plath. The sixth stanza is a respond to the fifth stanza. Plath expresses that even there is tons of pheasant; it is still “a fine thing”.

The exclamation used highlight Plath’s impression. In the seventh stanza, Plath is complimenting the pheasant. “Good shape”, “vivid” are words that praising the pheasant. Thus, Plath uses metaphor to compares pheasant as Zeus, the greatest god in Greece mythology, indicated by the word “cornucopia”. Thus, the metaphor is followed by a simile, “brown as a leaf, and loud”. Perhaps Plath is portraying the colour, the size and the movement of the pheasant. In the last stanza, Plath illustrates the pheasant is enjoying under the sunshine “in the narcissi”.

There is a hidden meaning here. The word narcissus appears in the name of a disease, narcissistic personality disorder. Perhaps Plath chooses this plant for precise presentation. And as a result, Plath chooses to “let be, let be”, reveals that Plath is giving up. Throughout the entire poem, Plath uses pheasant to represent a series of themes, like love, relationship and realism. Perhaps Plath uses the pheasant for presenting herself as a weak woman without any defence. And pheasant is also the one, which is defenceless. It reflects the role of Plath.

If Plath is using pheasant as a metaphor to describe she, then the compliments in the poem belongs to her. That means she is praising herself. In Plath’s opinion, she is a precious woman as diamonds that everyone should cherish and treat her well when getting along with her. Plath should be paramount and be complimented all the time and she thinks that she can receive the glory. Unfortunately, things do not go on as Plath anticipated. Plath is pleading someone not to sabotage her relationship and love. If not, Plath will simply possess nothing.

On the surface, everything goes logically but owing to the existence of “narcissi”, we may guess perhaps Plath has been suffering from narcissistic personality disorder. She is psychologically unhealthy and does not possess a clear mind. She is confused and begins absurd right now. But what we can still predict that Plath has illusions is owing to bad and nasty treatment. In conclusion, the poem pheasant illustrates a serious atmosphere but elegant description on the surface. Implicitly, this poem shows the madness of Plath derive from complex love and relationships and innate human evil – deceiving.