内容简介
SylviaPlathwasoneofthedefiningvoicesofthetwentiethcentury,andoneofthemostappealing:fewotherpoetshaveintroducedasmanynewreaderstopoetry.ThepoemsinthisfreshandinvitingeditionwerechosenbyPoetLaureateCarolAnnDuffy.Inmyselection,whichisroughlychronologicaltoshadowherprogress,IhavetriedtowalkthroughthelandscapeofSylviaPlath'spoetryasthoughforthefirsttime,fiftyyearsolderthanIwaswhenshedied.IndoingsoIhaveexperiencedafreshthealmostphysicalexcitementIfeltwhenIfirstreadthisbold,brilliant,bravepoetwhochangedtheworldofpoetryforusall.-CarolAnnDuffy
作者简介
SylviaPlathwasoneofthemostdynamicandadmiredpoetsofthe20thcentury.Bythetimeshetookherlifeattheageof30,Plathalreadyhadafollowingintheliterarycommunity.Intheensuingyearsherworkattractedtheattentionofamultitudeofreaders,whosawinhersingularverseanattempttocataloguedespair,violentemotion,andobsessionwithdeath.IntheNewYorkTimesBookReview,JoyceCarolOatesdescribedPlathas“oneofthemostcelebratedandcontroversialofpostwarpoetswritinginEnglish.”Intenselyautobiographical,Plath’spoemsexploreherownmentalanguish,hertroubledmarriagetofellowpoetTedHughes,herunresolvedconflictswithherparents,andherownvisionofherself.OntheWorldSocialistWebsite,MargaretReesobserved,“WhetherPlathwroteaboutnature,oraboutthesocialrestrictionsonindividuals,shestrippedawaythepoliteveneer.Sheletherwritingexpresselementalforcesandprimevalfears.Indoingso,shelaidbarethecontradictionsthattoreapartappearanceandhintedatsomeofthetensionshoveringjustbeneaththesurfaceoftheAmericanwayoflifeinthepostwarperiod.”OatesputitmoresimplywhenshewrotethatPlath’sbest-knownpoems,“manyofthemwrittenduringthefinal,turbulentweeksofherlife,readasifthey’vebeenchiseled,withafinesurgicalinstrument,outofarcticice.”
