Daddy-Daughter, Hitler-Jews in Sylvia Plath’s Poetry: Exploring Paternal Influence and Holocaust Imagery

Abstract

This study investigates the metaphorical connections between the Daddy-Daughter relationship and the Hitler-Jews dynamic in Sylvia Plath’s poetry. Plath is renowned for her evocative and melancholic poetry, which explores intricate topics of Holocaust imagery and paternal influence. The purpose of this research is to examine the complex interactions between historical trauma, familial ties, and individual suffering in Plath’s poetry. Plath’s confessional technique allows her to infuse her very personal issues with wider socio-political implications. Plath explores the tense relationship between a daughter and her father while tying Nazi Germany and the Holocaust into the story. The figure of the father becomes a symbol of oppressive authority, reminiscent of both her father and the tyrannical figure of Hitler. The amalgamation of personal and historical pain mirrors Plath’s personal battles with authoritative fatherhood and the aftermath of World War II. Plath’s poems conjure themes of persecution, pain, and the quest for identity through allusions to Hitler and the Jews. Her mastery is evident in the manner in which personal and historical narratives overlap and inform each other in her work by looking at the issue of “Daddy-Daughter and Hitler-Jews”. This study strives to expand comprehension of her poetic vision and its continuing relevance in modern debate through an analysis of her use of language, imagery, and symbolism. Thus the goal is to offer new perspectives on Plath’s work that both captivate and challenge readers across generations, inviting them to engage with her poetry in a more nuanced and profound manner.