About the Poem
‘Lady Lazarus’ is one of the best poems of Sylvia Plath and an ideal example of Plath’s diction. This poem contains Plath’s poetic expression of her suicidal thoughts.
Having attempted suicide multiple times in her life and survived, Plath compares herself to the biblical figure of Lazarus of Bethany, who was raised from the dead by Jesus. The colloquial tone with which she addresses her own suicide attempts point to Plath’s depression, the casual nature of ‘I have done it again’ chilling to the reader. Lady Lazarus paints a bleak picture of Plath’s depression, each day yearning more deeply to end her life.
Period: 20th Century
Nationality: American
Themes: Death, Failure, Identity
Emotions: Anxiety, Depression
Topics: Mythology, Adversity, Feminism, …
Form: Free Verse
Genre: Confessional
