Questions and Answers
In 'Poppies in July', what mood does Plath convey when she compares the mouth to one that has been harmed?
Violent
In 'Poppies in July', what does Plath seem to be seeking from the poppies?
A chance to feel physical pain or to sleep
In 'Poppies in July', what is implied by the 'little bloody skirts' image?
A reference to Plath's own miscarriage
In 'Poppies in July', what is the effect of the assonance in 'dulling' and 'stilling'?
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In 'Poppies in July', what tone does the final line of the poem convey?
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Study Notes
Poem Analysis: "Poppies in July"
Themes and Ideas
- The poem explores dark themes of self-harm, mental health, and the desire to feel numb
- The speaker seeks respite from their suffering through nature, specifically the poppy flowers
Style
- The poem has a musical rhythm that initially masks its disturbing content
- Plath employs repetition, caesura, provocative imagery, simile, synecdoche, and alliteration to convey her emotions
Key Quotes and Analysis
- "Little poppies, little hell flames, / Do you do no harm?" - The opening lines are rhythmic and playful, but quickly become sinister as Plath yearns for hurt
- "You flicker. I cannot touch you. I put my hands among the flames. Nothing burns." - Plath attempts to hurt herself using the metaphor of fire, but the poppies escape her grasp
- "And it exhausts me to watch you / Flickering like that, wrinkly and clear red, like the skin of a mouth." - Plath's mental anguish is captured in her exhaustion, and she likens the petals to the skin of a mouth, conveying attraction
- "A mouth just bloodied. / Little bloody skirts!" - The mood becomes violent, and Plath connects the image of the mouth to one that has been harmed, possibly referencing her own miscarriage
- "There are fumes that I cannot touch. / Where are your opiates, your nauseous capsules?" - Plath desperately calls out to the flowers for some sort of poison or relief
- "If I could bleed, or sleep!– / If my mouth could marry a hurt like that!" - Plath wants to feel physical pain or sleep to distract herself from her emotional suffering
- "Or your liquors seep to me, in this glass capsule, / Dulling and stilling." - The seeds of the poppy could end Plath's suffering, stilling her emotions and exhaustion
- "But colorless. Colorless." - The final line is devoid of hope, highlighting the suffocating emotional turmoil
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Description
Delve into the dark and emotional world of Sylvia Plath's poetry. This quiz explores the themes of depression, self-harm, and the symbolism in 'Poppies in July'.
