Analyzing The Arrival of the Bee Box by Sylvia Plath

The Arrival of the Bee Box by Sylvia Plath

Themes and Ideas

• Mental Health: Plath struggles with her mental health while writing this poem, reflecting on her intrusive thoughts and feelings
• Depression: The poem explores the concept of depression and the poet's experience with it
• Control: The poem considers the concept of control, with the bees representing Plath's thoughts and feelings
• Intrusive Thoughts: The bees symbolize the intrusive thoughts and feelings Plath contends with

Style

• Repetition: Anaphora (repetition of the same word at the start of consecutive sentences) is used to create a sense of rhythm and emphasis
• Figurative Language: Similes (e.g., "Square as a chair"), metaphors (e.g., "coffin of a midget"), and personification (e.g., "petticoats of the cherry") are used to create vivid imagery
• Imagery: Taken from the natural world, with a focus on the bee box and its contents

Analysis of Key Quotes

• "I ordered this, this clean wood box": Plath comments on the box's appearance, using anadiplosis to slow down the pace and create a respectful, cautious tone
• "Square as a chair and almost too heavy to lift": A simile that creates a visual image, with the "almost" implying a sense of burden
• "I would say it was the coffin of a midget / Or a square baby": A strange and twisted visual image, with the use of enjambment carrying the thought forward
• "Were there not such a din in it": A cacophonous line with assonance, creating a jarring sound that evokes the bees' noise
• "I have to live with it overnight / And I can't keep away from it": A sense of tension and attraction to the box's contents

Bee Box Imagery

• The box is described as "locked" and "dangerous", with the bees inside representing Plath's thoughts and feelings
• The "grid" allows Plath to observe the bees, with the repetition of "dark" creating an ominous atmosphere
• The image of "African hands" connotes slavery and oppression, with Plath seeing herself as the coloniser

Plath's Thoughts and Feelings

• The bees represent Plath's intrusive thoughts and feelings, with the "unintelligible syllables" suggesting they are communicating in their own language
• The poem explores the idea that individual thoughts may be manageable, but together they become overwhelming
• Plath wonders if she might be forgotten if she were to undo the locks and become one with nature
• The final line, "The box is only temporary", suggests that nothing is permanent, not even suffering

Explore the themes and ideas in Sylvia Plath's poem, including mental health, depression, control, and intrusive thoughts. Delve into the poet's experiences and symbolism in The Arrival of the Bee Box.