Evaluation of different perspectives on Sylvia Plath's 'Daddy'

In both contexts I chose, Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy’ is a poem about a girl with an Electra complex, she married her husband as he was similar to her father, and in this poem, was abandoned by both. The first context I chose to expand on was that of someone with background information on Plath-an informed view. The other was someone who analysed it with no background information on Plath whatsoever-a literal view.

In both interpretations, through the use of angry, short stanzas Plath conveys the speakers feelings of oppression suffered in the short relationship.

A person with background information on Plath would see this poem as highly autobiographical. Plath makes use of personal references, such as ‘one grey toe’, relating to her fathers gangrene, to expose her hatred of her father and husband, and the pain of abandonment that each led her through.

Of course, someone reading the poem with very little background information on Plath would interpret the poem lite...