A Deconstructionist View of Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” and Robert Frost’s “Design”
Hussam Shamma
Hussam Shamma, MA Student, MA in Applied Linguistics, Sham University, Syria.
Manuscript received on 11 April 2023 | Revised Manuscript 26 April 2023 | Manuscript Accepted on 15 May 2023 | Manuscript published on 30 May 2023 | PP: 7-14 | Volume-9 Issue-9, May 2023 | Retrieval Number: 100.1/ijmh.I1605059923 | DOI: 10.35940/ijmh.I1605.059923
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© The Authors. Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Deconstructionism, which entails carefully examining a text and underscoring its inconsistencies, ambiguities, and paradoxes, is employed in this paper to evaluate Sylvia Plath and Robert Frost’s poetry. Deconstructionists examine how a text opposes or challenges its meaning rather than trying to arrive at a single, conclusive interpretation. They might discuss how a text challenges prevailing ideas, reveals the limitations of language, or undermines conventional distinctions between gender, race, and class. They could discuss how the poem’s themes are distorted or contradicted, as well as how it highlights the limitations of conventional binary oppositions, such as male/female, self/other, and nature/culture. The poetry of Sylvia Plath is frequently recognised for its profound emotional depth and its exploration of serious subjects, including loneliness, death, and mental illness. Plath often uses intricate metaphors and symbols in her poems, as well as startling and vivid imagery. For instance, “Lady Lazarus” is recognised as one of Plath’s most well-known pieces and a haunting exploration of the themes of death, rebirth, and identity. On the other hand, Robert Frost is renowned for his bucolic and frequently sentimental images of rural life in New England. His poetry is famous for its straightforward, simple language, often examining themes such as nature, interpersonal relationships, and the passage of time. For instance, the poem “Design” prompts critical reflection on the nature of our existence and our place within such a complex universe.
Keywords: Deconstructionism – Meaning – Undecidability – Sylvia Plath – Robert Frost
Scope of the Article: Linguistics