Sylvia Plath: Ariel

I cannot, at this time, go on record as to what this poem “means.” However, I do have some observations about its language.

I like that Plath uses rhyme unconventionally, that is, she is not writing within a particular form (that I can see). In the first three lines alone she uses 4 words with the same or similar endings: ‘stasis,’ ‘darkness,’ ‘substanceless (twice in one word),’ and ‘distances.’ This is a very captivating technique with which to open the poem (especially to the ear hearing the poem). Another example of rhymes placed very close together is the phrase ‘Pour of tor’ in line 3.

As the poem continues, the rhymes come further apart, but there is still no real set pattern. This uncertainty makes the rhymes that do surface more exciting and fresh. Lines 16-23 exemplify this:

Hauls me through air—
Thighs, hair;
Flakes from my heels.

White
Godiva, I unpeel—
Dead hands, dead stringencies

And now I
Foam to wheat, a glitter of seas.

Likewise, in lines 4-6, we have:

God’s lioness,
How one we grow,
Pivot of heels and knees!—The furrow

Of course, ‘ness’ and ‘knees’ is a bit of forced rhyme, but it’s interesting to take it as a rhyme because then you have the rhymes for lines 4 and 5 in one line at the end of 6.

The 5th stanza contains some memorable alliteration:

Black sweet blood mouthfuls,
Shadows.
Something else

While there are more syntaxual choices I could discuss, I will leave off here. I think this is an amazing poem, especially to be read aloud and heard.