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Edward Park
Ms Crawford
IB Language and Literature
14 May 2013
Compbook #3 : Color-Marking Analysis
Throughout the poem there was an overall contradictory tone because of the description of two
women. This overall tone created is created by the shift and comparison of the two women. The second
and third stanza of the poem was dark while the fourth through sixth stanza was bright and positive. From
the second and third stanza to the fourth through sixth stanza there is a huge difference in light, nature,
and beauty that is portrayed. This shift in content and description created the tone to shift from negative to
positive and dark to light. This
1: Light vs. Dark
To start off, there is the noticeable difference between the two which is light and dark. From the
beginning of the poem, the first woman is called the "shade." This is different from the other woman
because the other woman is described as "light." The poem uses this to show that there is a more positive
light on the second woman than the first. The author creates the shift with the use of dark and light. As we
further analyze, the second woman is described to be "bronzed as earth" while on the "petaled blood"
poppies. There is definitely a more positive tone to everything that the second woman does and brings
light on her. The first woman on the other hand is described as the "root-pale." The pale in this does not
show a good sign but almost a sign of illness. These colors that go with each woman contribute to the way
the first woman is seen as dark/negative and the second woman is seen as light/positive.
2: Comparison of setting (time and place)
The comparison of the setting is also one of the parts that play in the poem to help the overall
tone. The first example is between the actual place of both. The first woman is described to be in a "dark
wainscoted room." The other woman is described to be "lulled near a bed of poppies." From this clear
difference in the setting, we can see that the tone is negative for the first woman and positive for the
second woman. The dark wainscoted room brings fear and containment inside. On the other hand the
author makes the second woman's setting much more pleasant and open to freedom. Also the time
described by Plath is very different because the first woman says "dry ticks mark time" and the second
says "ticks blown gold." Clearly the first woman's view of the world is not filled with life and is always
dry/barren. On the other hand the time of the other woman is described to be positive and joyful. This
comes from the simile "hearing ticks blown gold like pollen on bright air."
3: Life vs. Death
Lastly is the main explanation for the contradictory tone given which is life and death. The first
word that pops up is the words " dry" and "barren." It emphasizes that the first woman is lifeless because
it is dry and not filled with nature. In contrast the second woman is described to be in the environments
full of life like poppies growing and air. The words dry and barren bring up breathless which is different
from the bright air that Plath mentions. These things give nature life and is why it is seen as another
example of how life and death add to the contradictory tone. Lastly from the second to last to the last
stanza, there is a difference when she says "grow" and "graveward." Till the end of the poem Plath
contrasts the two woman with life and death. These words influence the contradicting tone and creates the
theme of life and death.