Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Female Author" by Sylvia Plath is a study in contrast and irony, juxtaposing the life of a seemingly privileged female writer against a backdrop of harsh external realities. The poem calls into question the nature of artistic responsibility, the divide between the personal and the public, and the ethical implications of turning a blind eye to suffering.

The poem begins with a striking image of the female author playing "chess with the bones of the world," suggesting that she manipulates existential elements as pieces in a game. The metaphor of chess here is significant; it hints at a carefully orchestrated reality where every move is calculated for maximum gain or minimum loss. And while she plays, the rains begin "Beyond the window," foreshadowing a disconnect between her interior world and the exterior one. This encapsulated environment is emphasized further when she lies "on cushions curled" and indulges in an "occasional bonbon of sin."

The second stanza reinforces this divide between her internal world and the external. She's described as "Prim, pink-breasted, feminine," as if she's the epitome of traditional womanhood. The room she resides in is as flowery and delicate as she is-filled with "chocolate fancies in rose-papered rooms" and "hothouse roses." These roses "shed immortal blooms," echoing a kind of escapism from the realities of decay and death. But the room also has "polished highboys" that "whisper creaking curses," perhaps a nod to the burdens of luxury and the guilt of indulgence.

The third stanza moves from the external to the internal, taking us closer to the emotional life of the author. The "garnets on her fingers twinkle quick," but it's a twinkling that casts "blood" over her work. This could be symbolic of the sacrifice and pain that creativity often demands but also might suggest a more ominous disconnect between her insular life and the wider world. She is then caught in a musing about the "odor, sweet and sick," possibly indicating that she's somewhat aware of her detachment from reality and its moral complications.

The final couplet, however, delivers the most damning indictment: "And lost in subtle metaphor, retreats / From gray child faces crying in the streets." Here, the poet critiques not just the author's detachment but also the nature of the art she produces-art that is more concerned with "subtle metaphor" than with the actual human suffering that happens just outside her window.

In "Female Author," Plath raises critical questions about the role of the artist, particularly the privileged artist, in society. The poem suggests that the creation of art, while potentially an act of existential manipulation, is ethically incomplete if it ignores the harsh realities of the world. This theme resonates universally, pushing readers to evaluate their own positions, privileges, and responsibilities, both as creators and consumers of art.

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