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Winter Trees

This analysis delves into Sylvia Plath's poem "Winter Trees" to unravel the themes of uncertainty and a woman's role in society. Plath expresses anger towards the forced duties of motherhood and societal roles imposed on women. The use of trees as a symbol provides insight into the complexities of women's struggles and their sense of purpose. References to Leda symbolize the violation and exploitation of women's experiences. The poem concludes with a sense of darkness lingering despite glimpses of beauty, hinting at the underlying fertility and perhaps a hint of pointlessness in life.

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Winter Trees

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  1. Winter Trees By Sylvia Plath Sylvia Plath

  2. Main Themes Of The Poem • Uncertainty • Woman's role in society

  3. The Role Of Woman • A main theme of this poem is woman's roles in society. It is clear Plath is angry with the duties of motherhood and other forced roles of woman in society as she questions this, “Who are these pietas?” • She is essentially questioning why woman are cast in this role, crucially her question goes unanswered, no comfort as no answer. • Pieta – a picture of virgin mary holding dead baby jesus – reference to duties of woman

  4. The Symbol Of The Tree • Throughout the poem, there is many references to trees, this is another example of Plath using nature to help communicate the mood and atmosphere. • “They seed so effortlessly!” • This is Plath fascinated by the trees and questioning her own use and sense of purpose. She is comparing the struggles of woman and how their roles in society aren’t so simple and effortless. • A sense that she feels guilty and not so much a woman due to her success.

  5. Ledas • Leda was admired by Zeus, who seduced her in the guise of a swan. As a swan, Zeus fell into her arms for protection from a pursuing eagle. Their consummation, on the same night as Leda lay with her husband Tyndareus, resulted in two eggs from which hatched Helen. • “In this, they are Ledas” • Plath is referring to the trees as Ledas but there is a sense she is not at all referring to the trees. • Plath uses Leda as a reference to pain and violation of womans experiences – the use of woman for mans own purposes. Nature is too violated by man, nature is used for man owns purposes.

  6. The Last Line • “The shadows of ringdoves chanting, but chasing nothing” • “Shadows” shows how darkness is lurking- darkness inside her about woman's roles in society? Darkness is seeping away by the end of the poem, but still in the shadows. • She sees beauty and slenderness, but that doesn’t make anything easier for woman. • Ending on “nothing” emphasises the sense of fertility, a sense of pointlessness in life is perhaps touched upon here?

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