what is the shrike by sylvia plath about?
When night comes black
Such royal dreams beckon this man
As lift him apart
From his earth-wife's side
To wing, sleep-feathered,
The singular air,
While she, envious bride,
Cannot follow after, but lies
With her blank brown eyes starved wide,
Twisting curses in the tangled sheet
With taloned fingers,
Shaking in her skull's cage
The stuffed shape of her flown mate
Escaped among moon-plumaged strangers;
So hungered, she must wait in rage
Until bird-racketing dawn
When her shrike-face
Leans to peck open those locked lids, to eat
Crowns, palace, all
That nightlong stole her male,
And with red beak
Spike and suck out
Last blood-drop of that truant heart.
Check this site.
(Broken Link Removed)
make it a poem not a scarey story
Oops again, Torianna = scary
Sra
"The Shrike" by Sylvia Plath is a poem that explores the theme of jealousy and longing. The poem depicts a man who, in his dreams, is taken away from his wife by a mysterious force represented as a bird, specifically a shrike. The man is able to fly in his dreams, experiencing a sense of freedom and liberation. Meanwhile, his wife is left behind, consumed by envy and frustration. She lies awake in bed, cursing and twisting in her anger, longing to join her husband in his dream-like state but unable to do so.
The shrike symbolizes the man's desire for escape and freedom, while the wife represents the limitations and restrictions that keep her grounded. The wife's jealousy and rage towards the shrike reflects her yearning for the same sense of liberation her husband experiences in his dreams. The poem ends with the wife eagerly awaiting the break of dawn, where she hopes to devour the remnants of her husband's dream and reclaim her lost connection with him.
To analyze the poem further and interpret its deeper meaning, one can focus on the imagery and symbolism used by Sylvia Plath. Examining the themes of jealousy, longing, and the contrasting perspectives of the man and his wife can lead to a richer understanding of the poem's message. Additionally, studying Plath's personal life and her experiences as a poet may provide context and shed light on the poem's emotional intensity.