| Abstract | Two great minds such as Poe and Plath, who lived in different times and under different circumstances, can only be compared through their specific views concerning the things they wrote about the most: life and death. In this paper, a context is provided in order to make the necessary comparisons despite their differences. Sylvia Plath, a twentieth century confessional poetry writer, wrote of death with appreciation and awe, yet with an air of nonchalance. Life and death were a game for Plath. In contrast, Edgar Allan Poe, a nineteenth century romantic writer, finds beauty and meaning in death. To Poe, life and death are a serious topic, and one that he keeps coming back to. Comparing specific poems of theirs, meaning Plath’s “Lady Lazarus” and Poe’s “Spirits of the Dead” provides insight into how important the topics of life and death were to both writers, yet they often undertook a different approach to their importance. Whereas Poe perceives death as a mysterious and ominous presence, Plath approaches the topic playfully and does not seem to take it seriously. Notably, this is reflected in their deaths; Plath having left the world by her own hands, and Poe dying under mysterious circumstances. Through this all, it can be concluded that life and death were both very influential topics for both authors, despite their different approaches. |
