POPPIES IN OCTOBER PRESENTATION

Plath's "Poppies in October"

a summary

"Poppies in October" was written on Plath's last birthday in 1962, one year before her suicide. This fact is present throughout the poem with themes of blood, depression and the persona's obsession with death. Sylvia Plath's "Poppies in October" is a melancholy poem that focuses on beauty in the natural world. The speaker notices vibrant red poppies in October, when the flowers don't typically bloom. Instead of simply welcoming this lovely sight, however, the speaker juxtaposes the flowers against the ugliness of the surrounding world, comparing them with images of pollution, blood, and human indifference. In the poem, the speaker appears to bestanding in a street, staring at poppies that are not in bloom as an ambulance passes, carrying a bleeding women away.

Even the sun-clouds this morning cannot manage such skirts. Nor the woman in the ambulance Whose red heart blooms through her coat so astoundingly –

Stanza 1

The first line could suggest that the world can't compare to the poppies - while this is seemingly clear as Plath directly compares them, the meaning could go deeper with the speaker perhaps suggesting that the world cannot compare to the allure of death as poppies are often a symbol for "sleep" or "death"

The persona may feel as though their life is being turned upside down - this could be shown through the "skirts" of the poppies as unlike a typical skirts, the poppies petals are extended upwards

Poppies bloom and flower in sprig and summer, making the world and scenery Plath writes in "Poppies in July" impossible. This fact might suggest how the speaker has dissociated from the real world and might actually be in their head. This idea ties back to Plath as the poet, and the time it was written. This poem might show Plath's descent into depression as the dissociation and apathy mirrors themes of mental illness

The first stanza opens with an oxymoron, "sun-clouds". The oxymoron might emphasise the dissociation between the speaker and the world

A gift, a love giftUtterly unasked for By a sky

Stanza 2

The "love gift" the speaker receives may reference motherhood, as do many of Plath's poems, as it mirrors how Plath addresses being a mother and having children - as seen in "Morning Song", "Love set you going"

The line "By a sky" is unclear, especially since Plath has personified it. However, it seems to imply how the speaker feels as though there is a cosmic love for them, despite them never asking for it. This cosmic being could be a deity or simply the personified universe.

Continuing the theme of death, the "gift" of the poppies may actually be the gift of death. This may highlight how, again, the persona romanticises death and treats it as an "out" or escape from the world the persona has separated from

The persona's "Utterly unasked for" gift may be a reason to keep on going, or in other words to live. If the "love gift" does refer to the speaker, or perhaps even Plath's children, the stanza could be interpreted as the speaker feeling guilty or even angry that they were gifted children as it gives them a reason to live in a world they would otherwise love to leave

Palely and flamilyIgniting its carbon monoxides, by eyes Dulled to a halt under bowlers.

Stanza 3

This stanza refers to pollution and consumption, the sky is being polluted and dulled by the smog of the cars, "Palely and flamily". The idea of pollution might be related to Plath through the speaker, as the speaker (or Plath) could be said to be the sky as well as the perspective - the speaker is being consumed by the pollution. This might mirror mental illness, with it consuming those it effects.

The first line, "Palely and flamily" forms an oxymoron which might emphasise both the complexity of the world but perhaps also the confusion of the speaker, as they seem almost lost throughout the poem. This idea might highlight how unwell the speaker is as they dissociate and lose understanding of both the world inside their head and perhaps even the real world.

Plath writes, "Dulled to a halt under bowlers." The "bowlers" might represent mankind, or specifically those who are well-off both in terms of money and perhaps mentally as well. To them, the sky seems dull, but the speaker, or perhaps to Plath, the sky is its own masterpiece, similar to the poppies. Perhaps this line implies how only those who are mentally unwell or 'gifted' can appreciate the poppies and the ugliness of the world.

Oh my God, what am I That these late mouths should cry open In a forest of frosts, in a dawn of cornflowers.

Stanza 4

The images made by Plath begins to slowly unravel as the poem goes on - starting off clear and shocking and morphing into mixed and contrasting images that do not belong where they are. This might show how the world is inside the persona's head, and building on this, might mirror their deteriorating mind.

It could be said that the last line shows the speaker descent into madness, as again, the flowers are out of season and both the cornflowers and poppies are blooming in " a forest of frosts". The persona might be losing track of time or they are stuck in the summer, perhaps unable to move past the events of "Poppies in July", the time the flowers do bloom.

In the final stanza, Plath returns to explore the poppies once again, "late mouths should cry open". The poppies seem to be almost calling the speaker, as if summoning them to their death.

"late mouths" - the speaker seems to have some connection the the poppies still alive in the autumn, despite most dying. This might represent hope or perhaps that no matter how much time passes or life moves on, death follows the speaker and it is all they can seem to focus on. And the poppies seem to hold the same sentiment for the persona, which might literally summon them to their death.

An Overview

Plath

Death

Imagery

Throughout the poem, Plath uses shocking and violent imagery, juxtaposed to calm and almost sincere pictures. This contrast might show how the speaker in "Poppies in October" appreciates the beauty in both the violence and ugliness of the world or their mind.

Similar to many other poems by Plath such as "Daddy" and "Morning Song", the speaker melds with Plath, with Plath's person shining through the poem, albeit some changes. Unlike her other poems, however, Plath seems to be more incorporated in this poem, making it possible to assume or theorise that Plath's words are her own.

Both the speaker and Plath are obsessed with the theme of death in this poem. It consumes the speaker and by the end they seem to have descending into the madness of it. The poppies seem to symbolise death in this poem, unlike "Poppies in July" that seem to encompass the speaker's wrath or pain.

poppies in October

1. Cold and apathetic tone, the speaker is almost directly talking to the reader as they apathetically view the world around them
2. The persona seems tired of the monotonous pain the world inflicts on them, almost numb to it, and pushes their desire for pain further, instead wanting death
3. Focuses on the poppy flower while it is out of season
4. The poppies seem to represent death and madness that seep into the persona's life uncontrollably.
5. The imagery in this poem is much more passive compared to July's, while it still holds violent imagery it is tame and presented matter-of-factly.

Poppies in July

1. Passionate and wrathful display of emotion with a personal tone throughout the poem, as if the reader is being let in on a secret event
2. The persona seeks pain and feeling, desperately wanting resolution or comfort after being heartbroken
3. Focuses on the poppy flower while it is in season
4. The poppies seem to represent happiness or others who have found peace and joy.

VS

thanks!