The Munich Mannequins

“Daddy” by Sylvia Plath (1965)

One of Plath’s most well-known poems, the poem was written in her prolific creative period shortly before her death and was published in Ariel posthumously. Some scholars argue that it seems to be one of Plath’s most confessional and autobiographical poems, seeming to address her relationship with her father. Others consider it an extended metaphor for a larger social issue, like the treatment of the Jewish people during the Holocaust or the treatment of women under patriarchy. These dueling interpretations are representative of the academic conversation around Plath’s work and her legacy.

“Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath (1965)

Another of Plath’s most well-known poems, “Lady Lazarus” describes a speaker who is repeatedly resurrected against her will, as she wants to die to escape the suffering she experiences in her life. Scholars often interpret this poem as reflecting Plath’s own suicidal thoughts and her feminist critique of patriarchy.

“Wanting to Die” by Anne Sexton (1966)

Like Plath’s “Lady Lazarus,” this confessional poem expresses the speaker’s desire to die by suicide. Sexton, a contemporary and friend of Plath, often tackled similar topics in her deeply personal poetry.

“Epilogue” by Robert Lowell (1976)

Robert Lowell was an American poet that inspired Plath. Along with Sexton, the three poets often spoke to each other about poetry. In this poem, Lowell considers the challenges of the artistic process and the limitations of art’s expressive abilities. Written close to his death at the age of 70, this poem was a semi-confessional look back at his own career. As a post-war and post-modern poet, he also seems to reckon with the role of art after the horrors of the 20th century.

“The Blue Flannel Shirt” by Ted Hughes (1998)

This poem was published as a part of the 1998 collection Birthday Letters. This collection was Hughes’s first extended comment on his relationship with Plath. The collection won many awards, including the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. Interpretations of these poems and the collection as a whole fall largely into two camps. Some criticize Hughes for seeming to use his estranged partner’s death and posthumous reputation to increase his own fame and reputation. Others see this as an honest reflection on their tumultuous relationship. This poem describes the blue flannel suit that Plath wore to her first day teaching at Smith College. Hughes uses this suit to symbolize how ill-suited Plath was for teaching.