Study Guide to Selected Poems and additional poems by Sylvia Plath

Ray Moore's Study Guides provide insights into important but demanding texts. Sylvia Plath is one of the greatest and most popular poets of the twentieth century. Her poems do not, however, yield their meaning to a superficial reading. Plath demands a lot of her readers, but the rewards are worth the effort. Critical works on Plath deal with her poems selectively. Uniquely, this Guide goes through each poem providing a full explanation of its meaning and significance. For each poem there is: - an introduction with background information; - helpful study guide questions; - a detailed commentary. In addition the Guide provides: - biographical information on Plath; - sections on poetic development, themes, images, etc.; - a Reading Diary activity on "Daddy"; - a sample essay on "Sylvia Plath's Sense of Place"; - a glossary of literary terms and activity; - guidance on further reading. This fully revised Second Edition includes every poem in Selected Poems, plus six additional poems of particular importance to understanding Plath's poetic development.