Poetry Analysis: Sylvia Plath's Lady Lazarus
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Questions and Answers

What is the speaker referring to when mentioning 'A sort of walking miracle'?

  • Their physical appearance after a transformation (correct)
  • Their frequent encounters with death
  • Their ability to terrify their enemy
  • Their exceptional skin brightness

    • In the text, what does the speaker refer to as 'trash'?

  • The speaker's own physical appearance
  • The crowd that comes to see the speaker
  • The process of aging and decay
  • The act of dying each decade (correct)

    • What does the speaker imply by mentioning 'And like the cat I have nine times to die'?

  • The speaker is in control of their death
  • The speaker has multiple lives like a cat (correct)
  • The speaker is indifferent towards death
  • The speaker has faced death multiple times

    • What does the speaker anticipate will happen to 'the flesh / The grave cave ate'?

    <p>It will soon be at home on them</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the tone of the speaker in the text?

    <p>Contemplative and reflective</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The Speaker's Identity

    • The speaker is a 30-year-old woman who has a troubled relationship with her body
    • She compares her skin to a Nazi lampshade, suggesting a sense of discomfort or shame with her appearance

    The Speaker's Body

    • The speaker's body is likened to a paperweight, implying a sense of heaviness or burdensome
    • Her face is described as featureless, with a comparison to fine Jew linen, suggesting a sense of pale or lifeless complexion
    • The speaker's nose, eye pits, and teeth are mentioned, but with a sense of detachment or disconnection

    Death and Rebirth

    • The speaker mentions dying and being reborn, with the phrase "I have nine times to die" suggesting a sense of resilience or cat-like ability to cheat death
    • The speaker implies that their body will be returned to its natural state, with "the flesh / The grave cave ate will be At home on me" suggesting a sense of acceptance or surrender

    Performance and Spectacle

    • The speaker describes their body as a spectacle, with "the peanut-crunching crowd" gathering to see them unwrapped "hand and foot"
    • The speaker presents themselves as a performer, with "the big strip tease" suggesting a sense of exposure or vulnerability

    Self-Awareness

    • The speaker acknowledges their own mortality and impermanence, stating "I may be skin and bone"

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    Description

    Test your understanding of Sylvia Plath's poem 'Lady Lazarus' with this quiz. Explore the themes, symbolism, and imagery used in this powerful piece of poetry.

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