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.