Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Lament" by Sylvia Plath is an evocative poem that wrestles with themes of loss, nature's caprice, and human defiance. In this poem, Plath explores the overpowering force of nature as embodied in bees, weather, and celestial events, suggesting that they are not just capricious but also fundamentally indifferent to human suffering. The poem is especially potent in its portrayal of the speaker's father, who, despite his defiant attitude toward the unforgiving elements around him, ultimately falls victim to them.

"Lament" is structured as a villanelle, a traditional poetic form originating from Italy. A villanelle typically consists of 19 lines with five tercets followed by a quatrain, employing only two rhymes and repeating two lines according to a specific pattern. In "Lament," Plath adheres to this structure, giving the poem a rhythmic and sonic cohesiveness that complements its thematic depth.

The opening line, "The sting of bees took away my father," immediately casts a shadow over the poem, informing us that the central subject is one of loss. Bees, creatures commonly associated with industry and community, become agents of personal tragedy. Interestingly, the father is described as walking "in a swarming shroud of wings," evoking a funeral imagery that is both bizarre and affecting.

The phrase "scorned the tick of the falling weather" creates a vivid picture of the father's disdain for natural forces. His scorn is depicted as futile but dignified, reinforcing the human instinct to resist, even in the face of inevitable defeat. This phrase recurs throughout the poem, serving as a haunting refrain that underscores the man's helpless arrogance, which neither the "tick of the falling weather" nor the "guns of God" can subdue.

In sharp contrast, lightning "missed the mark with snaking fangs," and the sea is "trounced" like a "raging bather." These elements, although fierce and often destructive, are not what claim the father. Instead, it is the bees, creatures less commonly associated with peril, that prove fatal. The father "rode the flood in a pride of prongs," displaying a courage that borders on recklessness, yet his valiant attributes could not save him from the whims of nature.

The poem also mentions the death of the speaker's mother, who was "struck down" by "a scowl of sun." Again, natural elements are depicted as perilous forces, but they are forces that act without intent or malice. They are portrayed almost as sentient beings with faces - the sun scowls, lightning licks - yet they operate without any regard for human life. The father laughs "at the ambush of angels' tongues," as if even celestial entities were conspiring against him. This anthromorphization of nature adds an additional layer of tragedy, emphasizing the smallness of human beings in the grand tapestry of life.

The poem ends with an invocation to "ransack the four winds and find another / man who can mangle the grin of kings," an apparent tribute to the father's indomitable spirit. Yet this line also resonates with irony. Despite his courage and irreverence, the father is still subject to the inexorable laws of nature. He "scorned the tick of the falling weather," but such scorn did not - could not - protect him.

In its examination of loss and the humbling force of nature, "Lament" serves as a poignant meditation on the limits of human control and the inescapable vulnerability that comes with our mortal condition. Through a haunting refrain and vivid imagery, Plath encapsulates the futile but enduring human struggle against an indifferent universe.

The combination of form and content in "Lament" creates a poignant, multi-layered work. It is as if the villanelle, a form that often grapples with themes of obsession and inescapable thought patterns, is perfectly suited to Plath's meditation on the implacable and impartial forces of nature that shape and end human lives. Through this intricate interplay of form and theme, Plath crafts a poem that is both a personal expression of loss and a universal exploration of human vulnerability.

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