Your Own Sylvia: A verse portrait of Sylvia Plath

 

Bibliography

Hemphill, Stephanie. Your Own, Sylvia: a Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008. ISBN 0440239680

Summary

The biographical verse novel Your Own, Slyvia written by Stephanie Hemphill takes readers on a journey of the life of Slyvia Plath, poet and Pulitzer Prize winning author, through the eyes of those around her. 

Analysis

A small photo of a portion of Slyvia Plath, a fuzzy picture of a white picket fence, and script writing of the title, Your Own, Slyvia appear on the front of the dust jacket. Even readers who are less familiar with the life and writing of Slyvia Plath will find this to be an extraordinary introduction into the world of Plath. The collection of poems by poet Stephanie Hemphill describes the author’s life from birth, childhood, young adulthood up until her tragic end. Each poem, from the perspective of different people in Plath’s life, is rich in language and emotion. Many poems are free verse and highlight aspects of Slyvia Plath’s life and work. Some, like the poem Why She Writes, are in written in the style of Plath’s own poems. Poems employ the use of metaphor like in Owning Sylvia Plath where Hemphill writes “Who are you, Sylvia Plath?/ A cold comet locked in place by gravity?/ A glint in the cracked ceiling above my bed?” One poem Abecedarian is just that, an abecedarian poem that follows alphabetical order at the start of each of the first 26 lines of the poem. Other poems use consistent rhymes like in Money Well Spent “What pleasure to know/ that my scholarship goes/ to such a talented delight--/ Sylvia Plath. I write and invite”. Topics in this book include mental illness, gender roles, and art. There is particular attention paid to Slyvia Plath’s mental illness as it is what ultimately led to her death by suicide. Not only are there poems in this novel, but most poems include a prose description at the bottom of the events and people that were addressed in the poem. Hemphill has included at the back of the book her source notes, so readers can be assured that the information is factual and well researched. This book is a beautiful introduction and reflection on the life of Sylvia Plath that young adult and adult readers alike can enjoy. 

Sample Poem

Shock Treatment

Aurelia Plath

July 29th, 1953

I hold my baby in my arms,

her legs scarred by razor

just to test if she had the nerve

to drag the blade across her skin.

She begs me to die with her.

I scheduled Slyvia an appointment

with a psychiatrist. He suggests

we shock her out of depression.

Metal probes attach

to her forehead. She is rigid,

alone in that room, prostrate

on the table, but we follow

the doctor’s orders. I will not

be foolish with Sylvia as I was

with Otto. We will seek out

and listen to medical professionals 

before it is too late.

Slyvia doesn’t sleep. A return

to infancy, she cries and wakes

in the night. I locker her sleeping pills

away, distribute them judiciously,

as prescribed, even though Sylvia

begs for more. Sylvia’s electrified--

pills or no pills, she struggles to shut her eyes.

This poem, and the book in general, would be an interesting addition to a high school psychology class's study of psychology, psychiatry, and medical treatments. Teachers could choose to read the whole book while discussing depression and the history of medical treatment, or this individual poem. Consider pairing the poem with this video on modern use of electroconvulsive therapy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcmarVpo2xE.