Inside This Guide: Morning Song by Sylvia Plath
- In-Depth Poem Analysis: Explore Sylvia Plath’s complex depiction of motherhood, identity, and emotional transformation in “Morning Song.”
- Key Themes Covered:
- The conflicted nature of motherhood, with elements of both love and discomfort
- The personal journey of a mother as she navigates her evolving identity after the birth of a child
- Plath’s use of sound and imagery to convey both the bond and distance between mother and child
- Literary Devices & Techniques: Detailed breakdown of personification, metaphor, and imagery to explore the complex emotions tied to motherhood and the first moments with a child.
Morning Song by Sylvia Plath Analysis
Context
Sylvia Plath’s Morning Song is a poem that explores the emotional complexity of motherhood. Written after the birth of her first child, the poem reflects both the wonder and the disconnection that can accompany the early stages of parenthood. Plath uses vivid imagery and symbolic language to convey the distance and uncertainty the speaker feels toward her newborn child, while also capturing moments of awe and love. The poem highlights themes of birth, identity, the passage of time, and the ambivalence of motherhood, balancing tenderness with detachment.
Stanza by Stanza Analysis
Lines 1-3
“Love set you going like a fat gold watch. / The midwife slapped your footsoles, and your bald cry / Took its place among the elements.”
The poem begins with a striking simile, comparing the newborn to a “fat gold watch.” This image conveys both the preciousness and the mechanical nature of life’s beginning. The idea of the child being “set going” suggests that birth is both a natural and inevitable process, as though life begins in an automatic, impersonal way. The “fat gold watch” also suggests the passage of time, symbolizing how the baby’s arrival marks the start of a new phase in the mother’s life. The midwife’s slap and the baby’s “bald cry” signal the child’s entry into the world, and Plath describes the cry as “taking its place among the elements,” linking the baby’s arrival to the natural world, as though it has become part of the larger, universal forces of life.
Lines 4-6
“Our voices echo, magnifying your arrival. New statue. / In a drafty museum, your nakedness / Shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls.”
Plath uses the metaphor of a “new statue” to describe the baby, emphasizing its stillness and vulnerability. The image of the baby as a statue evokes fragility and objectification, as though the child is an art piece to be observed. The “drafty museum” adds to the sense of coldness and detachment, suggesting that the speaker feels distant from the child, overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for something so delicate. The child’s “nakedness” contrasts with the parents’ sense of safety, and the parents themselves are described as “blankly as walls,” implying emotional distance and uncertainty in interacting with the child.
Lines 7-9
“I’m no more your mother / Than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow / Effacement at the wind’s hand.”
The speaker expresses a sense of detachment from her identity as a mother, claiming that she feels “no more your mother” than a cloud. The metaphor of the cloud “distilling a mirror” suggests a fleeting, ephemeral connection to the child, as though her role as a mother is uncertain. The idea of the cloud reflecting “its own slow effacement” implies that the speaker feels herself disappearing or losing her sense of self in the face of new responsibility. The wind’s influence over the cloud symbolizes external forces shaping the speaker’s identity, suggesting motherhood is imposed upon her rather than felt inherently.
Lines 10-12
“All night your moth-breath / Flickers among the flat pink roses. I wake to listen: / A far sea moves in my ear.”
Plath contrasts the fragility of the baby’s “moth-breath” with the image of “flat pink roses,” which evoke artificiality and stasis. The baby’s breath is described as flickering, emphasizing its delicate and transient nature. The speaker wakes to listen, but her attention shifts to the metaphorical “far sea,” suggesting physical presence but mental distance. The “far sea” evokes vastness and the unknown, reflecting isolation and the overwhelming nature of motherhood.
Lines 13-14
“One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral / In my Victorian nightgown.”
The baby’s cry prompts the speaker to “stumble from bed,” highlighting her exhaustion and instinctual response to the child’s needs. The phrase “cow-heavy” conveys physical burden, possibly referring to breastfeeding or general fatigue. The “Victorian nightgown” adds a historical and domestic dimension, evoking confinement or traditional expectations of motherhood. The nightgown also contrasts with the child’s newness, suggesting that the speaker feels weighed down by roles and duties associated with being a mother.
Lines 15-16
“Your mouth opens clean as a cat’s. The window square / Whitens and swallows its dull stars.”
The baby’s mouth is described as opening “clean as a cat’s,” suggesting the precision and simplicity of cries. The comparison to a cat implies instinct and purity, highlighting primal need. Meanwhile, dawn breaks as the “window square” whitens, symbolizing the passage of time. The stars swallowed by the light mark transition into a new day, mirroring the mother’s ongoing shift into her role.
Lines 17-18
“And now you try / Your handful of notes; The clear vowels rise like balloons.”
The final lines shift tone, as the baby begins to “try” their voice, producing a “handful of notes.” These are described as “clear vowels,” symbolizing innocence and purity. The vowels “rise like balloons,” evoking joy and lightness, contrasting with earlier heaviness. This ending suggests that while motherhood may be difficult and disorienting, it is also filled with beauty in watching a child grow.
Key Themes
The Complexity of Motherhood
- The poem explores the ambivalence of motherhood, capturing both love and distance. The speaker expresses feelings of inadequacy and disconnection, as well as the burdens of caring for a newborn.
- “I’m no more your mother / Than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow / Effacement at the wind’s hand.” – encapsulates detachment and identity struggle.
- “One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral / In my Victorian nightgown.” – conveys exhaustion and the physical/emotional weight of motherhood.
The Passage of Time and the Role of Nature
- Plath uses imagery of time and nature to symbolize life and inevitability of change. The baby’s arrival marks a new phase, with clocks, stars, and the sea highlighting cyclical time.
- “Love set you going like a fat gold watch.” – birth likened to a ticking watch, symbolizing the passage of time.
- “The window square / Whitens and swallows its dull stars.” – night ending, new day beginning, mirroring transition into motherhood.
The Fragility of Life and the Search for Identity
The poem touches on the fragility of both the child and the speaker’s sense of self. The baby’s “moth-breath” and “handful of notes” emphasize delicacy, while the speaker’s feelings of detachment reflect her struggle to reconcile her identity with motherhood.
Mood of the Poem
The mood of Morning Song is a blend of awe, detachment, and quiet wonder. There is distance between mother and child, but also moments of tenderness. The tone shifts from uncertainty and exhaustion to a softer, reflective mood, suggesting that while motherhood is challenging, it brings rewards of beauty and connection.
Literary Devices
Metaphor
Plath employs metaphors such as the baby as a “fat gold watch” (passage of time, new life) and the cloud “distilling a mirror” (detachment from motherhood).
Imagery
Vivid imagery includes descriptions of breath, stars, dawn, and roses, emphasizing fragility, beauty, and inevitability of change.
Simile
Similes like “clean as a cat’s” and “like balloons” highlight innocence and development of the child.
Personification
The window that “whitens and swallows its dull stars” personifies transition and change, mirroring the speaker’s adaptation to motherhood.
Conclusion
Sylvia Plath’s Morning Song is a nuanced exploration of motherhood, capturing ambivalence, distance, and awe. Through vivid imagery and symbolic language, Plath reflects on time, fragility, and identity. The poem’s shifting tone—from detachment and uncertainty to tenderness and quiet wonder—suggests that while motherhood is challenging, it also offers beauty and connection. Morning Song stands as a poignant meditation on the emotional and physical realities of becoming a mother.