Who by Sylvia Plath Summary

The month of flowering’s finished. The fruit’s in,
Eaten or rotten. I am all mouth.
October’s the month for storage.

Thie shed’s fusty as a mummy’s stomach:
Old tools, handles and rusty tusks.
I am at home here among the dead heads.

Let me sit in a flowerpot,
The spiders won’t notice.
My heart is a stopped geranium.

If only the wind would leave my lungs alone.
Dogsbody noses the petals. They bloom upside down.
They rattle like hydrangea bushes.

Mouldering heads console me,
Nailed to the rafters yesterday:
Inmates who don’t hibernate.

Cabbageheads: wormy purple, silver-glaze,
A dressing of mule ears, mothy pelts, but green-hearted,
Their veins white as porkfat.

O the beauty of usage!
The orange pumpkins have no eyes.
These halls are full of women who think they are birds.

This is a dull school.
I am a root, a stone, an owl pellet,
Without dreams of any sort.

Mother, you are the one mouth
I would be a tongue to. Mother of otherness
Eat me. Wastebasket gaper, shadow of doorways.

I said: I must remember this, being small.
There were such enormous flowers,
Purple and red mouths, utterly lovely.

The hoops of blackberry stems made me cry.
Now they light me up like an electric bulb.
For weeks I can remember nothing at all.

“Who” by Sylvia Plath is a poignant exploration of themes such as emptiness, isolation, and loss. Through vivid imagery and striking metaphors, the poem delves into the speaker’s inner turmoil and emotional struggles. Divided into several stanzas, each with its own distinct imagery and mood, the poem takes the reader on a journey through the speaker’s mind as she grapples with feelings of alienation and despair.

The poem begins with the speaker reflecting on the passage of time, as the month of flowering comes to an end and the fruit either gets eaten or rots away. The speaker feels like she is “all mouth,” emphasizing a sense of emptiness or lack. October is depicted as the month for storage, suggesting a period of dormancy or stagnation.

In the next stanza, the speaker describes a shed that is “fusty as a mummy’s stomach,” filled with old tools and rusty tusks. Despite the decay and neglect, the speaker feels at home among the dead heads, finding solace in their company. This imagery of decay and abandonment mirrors the speaker’s own feelings of isolation and desolation.

The speaker longs to escape her surroundings, imagining herself sitting in a flowerpot where the spiders won’t notice her. She likens her heart to a stopped geranium, further emphasizing a sense of stagnation and lifelessness. The speaker expresses a desire for respite from the relentless wind, which feels invasive and unsettling.

The image of dogsbody nosing the petals and flowers blooming upside down adds to the surreal and disorienting atmosphere of the poem. The speaker finds herself surrounded by decay and distortion, unable to escape the oppressive weight of her own thoughts and emotions.

As the poem progresses, the speaker reflects on the beauty of nature and the passing of time. She recalls the enormous flowers and the blackberry stems that once made her cry. However, these memories are tinged with sadness and longing, as the speaker struggles to make sense of her own existence.

The final stanzas of the poem shift to a more surreal and dreamlike tone, as the speaker addresses her mother and expresses a desire to be consumed. This imagery of consumption and waste reflects the speaker’s feelings of worthlessness and despair. She feels like a root, a stone, an owl pellet—devoid of dreams or aspirations.

Throughout the poem, Sylvia Plath employs vivid imagery and evocative language to convey the speaker’s inner turmoil and emotional struggles. The themes of emptiness, isolation, and loss are explored with depth and intensity, creating a haunting and unforgettable portrait of the human psyche.

In conclusion, “Who” by Sylvia Plath is a powerful and haunting exploration of themes such as emptiness, isolation, and loss. Through vivid imagery and striking metaphors, the poem delves into the depths of the speaker’s mind, capturing the complexities of grief and despair. It is a poignant reminder of the fragility of human existence and the enduring power of art to illuminate the darkest corners of the soul.