Poem Analysis: Spinster

Author: Sylvia Plath
Pages 388-389

In the poem "Spinster," Sylvia Plath uses many symbols and images to convey the meaning of the poem. To begin, the title itself refers to an old woman who has never been married or had a child. Standing alone, it is already known that the poem is going to be about someone who is alone and most likely has been for their entire life. Accompanied by the symbolism found in the mentioning of winter and spring, it can be gathered that the subject of the poem rather loathes romance and the youthful springtime, and prefers to be alone in the winter, "each sentiment within border."

Winter and spring and their associated emotions are depicted through imagery and symbolism throughout the poem, representing death and solitude, and new life and romance respectively. What strikes me is the atypical nature of the description of the seasons beyond that as well. Plath ties the seasons together with human emotion, describing winter and solitude as being controlled and refined, seen through the description of the ice, rocks, and snowflakes, all perfectly constructed with defined edges and no intrusion of emotion to muddle them. This image is also enhanced by the line "such a barricade of barb and check," giving it further sharpness and intention of infinite isolation.

Previously, spring is described as sloven, particularly through the images of the "leaves' litter," the "birds' irregular babel," the "petals in disarray," and "her lover's gestures unbalance in the air, his gait stray uneven." These all contribute to the idea of carelessness, therefore judging romance and youthfulness as disorderly as well. The line "let idiots reel giddy in bedlam spring" continues to suggest that only imbeciles would have anything to do with romance and its rather messy consequences (e.g. sex, childbirth, childcare, etc.). The subsequent line concludes spring simply with "she withdrew neatly" showing that, in the end, it isn't difficult to take leave of romance and live on in seclusion. The use of the word "neatly" in particular also contributes to the aforementioned description of winter and loneliness as clean-cut and very far from messy, as spring is described.

My interpretation of this poem is that the speaker, as well as the poem's subject, have no care for immature romance and lust. They would rather be on their own, and logically I wouldn't argue. Isolation is cleaner, excluding the mess of a broken heart and other undesirable results that always accompany springtime, the mating season. It's more sensible, basically, although I personally am not for becoming a spinster. Despite the logic, it does not seem appealing in the slightest. While it may be nice to be alone, an argument against its depressing nature would be difficult to make. "As no mere insurgent man could hope to break with curse, fist, threat or love, either." At that point, all emotion has been shut down, whether good or bad, which is certainly a depressing concept indeed.