Lady Lazarus

“Daddy“ by Sylvia Plath (1962)

“Daddy” is one of Plath’s most anthologized poems, published posthumously in her collection Ariel alongside “Lady Lazarus.” The poem grapples with the death of the speaker’s father as well as their tumultuous relationship. The poem is addresses the speaker’s fear, disgust, distrust, and anger towards her late father. Plath herself had a difficult and strained relationship with her own father, who died when she was a child.

“Sylvia’s Death“ by Anne Sexton (1964)

“Sylvia’s Death” is a poem by American poet Anne Sexton about Sylvia Plath’s death. The two writers were friends and poets in the Confessional poetic style. Both women lived with depression and mental illness, and both died by suicide. “Sylvia’s Death” not only reckons with Plath’s death, it also details Sexton’s own struggles with suicidal ideation and chronic depression. The poem is a 140-line elegy dedicated to Plath, and the poem touches on issues of sexism and the confines of a patriarchal society for creative women.

“Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night“ by Dylan Thomas (1947)

“Do Not Go Gentle” is a poem by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, one of Plath’s biggest influences. The poem is in a villanelle form and has been described as the poet’s most famous work. “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” is a motivational speech directed towards the dying, encouraging them to fight against death until the very end. The poem celebrates human life, and the poet originally dedicated the poem to his dying father, revealing the speaker’s fears about losing a person he loves.