Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Sylvia Plath's "Rhyme" is a poignant exploration of frustration and human morality in the face of unfulfilled expectations. The poem centers on the metaphor of a goose that's said to have a gut "honeycombed with golden eggs," a creature that promises great wealth but refuses to deliver. This uncooperative goose symbolizes the complexities of human relationships and the vexing nature of unrealized potential.

Plath begins by characterizing the goose as stubborn, yet rich with the possibility of golden eggs. This immediate paradox sets the tone for the rest of the poem, where we grapple with the intersection of hope and disappointment. The goose's refusal to lay a golden egg serves as a metaphorical representation of the human condition, where the promise of talent or virtue often goes unactualized. In essence, the goose encapsulates the frustration of wasted potential.

Adding complexity to the metaphor, the goose is said to strut "like those taloned hags / Who ogle men," evoking an image of crones who, in their age and experience, still hold an unyielding vanity and perhaps a sense of entitlement. Here Plath broadens the scope, suggesting societal judgments that are often imposed upon women. The crones and the goose alike defy expectations, but do so with a brazen attitude that exudes confidence, even if it's misplaced.

The speaker's frustration is further emphasized by the contrast in their conditions: "While I eat grits / She fattens on the finest grain." The speaker here suffers, grinding through a hard life symbolized by "grits," while the goose enjoys luxury without fulfilling its supposed purpose. This dynamic tension creates a moral dilemma, encapsulated in the line, "Now, as I hone my knife, she begs / Pardon, and that's / So humbly done."

In the end, the speaker is presented with a moral quandary: to kill the goose, sacrificing a creature of beauty and unfulfilled potential for immediate gain. The speaker is nearly swayed by the goose's humble plea, reflecting the human capacity for compassion even when we are wronged. It's a moment of grace that makes the speaker reconsider, stating "I'd turn this keen / Steel on myself before profit / By such a rogue's / Act, but --- How those feathers shine!"

The ending, however, takes a dark turn. Ultimately, the speaker chooses to kill the goose, making a stark statement on the limitations of human patience and morality when pushed to the brink of frustration. The "exit from a smoking slit / Her ruby dregs" provides a graphic, jarring conclusion that leaves us to ponder the complexities of human behavior, moral choices, and the sometimes ugly reality of our nature when confronted with relentless disappointment.

The decision to entitle an unrhymed poem "Rhyme" may have been for it to act as an entry point into the central conflicts and themes of the poem, enhancing its critical portrayal of unfulfilled potential, human morality, and societal expectations. It serves as an ironic nod to the complexities of life, where things are often not what they seem or what they promise to be, enriching our understanding of both the specific narrative of the poem and the broader human condition it comments upon.

"Rhyme" serves as a multi-layered critique of both personal and societal ethics, rendered through the allegory of the golden goose. It brings the reader face-to-face with the often harsh decisions we must make when potential remains stubbornly unrealized, ultimately forcing us to grapple with the complexity of human frailty and moral ambiguity.

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