Both Plath and Hughes are very emotional and passionate poets who tend to use their own memories as the focal point of their poems. However, each poet has similarities and differences in the way they describe their memories in their writing. For example, Plath tends to write about personal memories involving herself or her family, while Hughes tends to write more about her interests, such as nature and the earth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay A poem in which Hughes clearly displays a form of memory is Thistles, as he personifies plants (thistles) using the metaphor of the Vikings and the memory of something that once existed, which is expressed when he says: "from the subterranean stain of a rotten Viking." This line refers to the corpses of the Vikings that lay beneath our feet in the ground because they no longer exist. The fact that he used the word "stain" to describe them is strongly linked to the idea of ​​memory, because it gives the reader the impression that the Vikings, even if they no longer exist, will always remain as something something we remember in history, represented by the word "stain" as something that will never disappear. Hughes also wrote lines such as "a burst of vengeance", "broken weapons", "the Icelandic frost" and "a plume of blood" which all strongly reference the idea and history of the Vikings during their time. For example, the Vikings originated in Iceland and were renowned for their advanced sailing skills; allowing them to travel to attack and fight, which is clearly mentioned in this poem. Additionally, in the third stanza, there is a line that says "They look like pale hair", which was also a common stereotype of the Scandinavian people, by which the Vikings were known. In the last stanza, Hughes writes that thistles "grow gray, like men", which is a symbol of aging and the passage of time. This refers to the fact that all living things age and will eventually die, but they will remain as part of their life. our memories for the rest of our lives. Towards the end of this poem it says "Their sons appear, stiff with arms, fighting on the same ground", which refers to the history of these Vikings and how, despite their death, their sons will grow to continue. thanks to the work of their father, allowing them to live in people's memories. Hughes may have seen the idea of ​​the Vikings as an important focal point of a poem, as it only highlights a small area of ​​history that is still remembered today. However, some critics have argued that Hughes focused on the natural side of this poem and wanted to emphasize the power of these plants that grow on our land, as opposed to the significant story behind what might lie beneath. they. The critic stated that Ted Hughes's intentions with this poem were to represent the plant in a negative way, because they are difficult to get rid of (like memories) and he also argues that Hughes uses them to represent the cycle and the memory of human life and war because of the way he gives them human traits when he describes them with “a handful of broken weapons”. The same critic argues that the alliteration of the phrase "blue-black" implies the imagery of a bruise caused by physical contact which I completely agree with, as it gives the reader the impression of war and the idea of ​​the wounded flesh of the Vikings which AnotherHughes' poem that depicts memories in the form of nature is "The Horses", in which he describes the sight of a herd of motionless horses as dull, lifeless and boring until they possess some form of energy. At the beginning of the poem, the setting that Hughes memorizes is described in great detail; such as “bad air” and a “frozen calm” due to the cold and lifelessness of winter. This gives the reader the impression of a serene, peaceful, yet spooky and haunting, forest world that breaks the stereotypical wildlife-filled idea most people might have of these types of areas in nature. He says that there is "not a leaf, not a bird", implying complete silence in the woods, emphasized here by the use of repetition. The idea of ​​frozen immobility is also represented by the punctuation in “A World Cast in Frost.” As he appears dead and frozen. However, later in the poem, when the sun begins to rise, the mood in the poem seems to change as we see the personification within "the valleys drained the darkness", implying a certain sense of movement. , as well as the mention of “horses” which creates an unspoken sense of power. They are the first sign of life mentioned, but they are always described as "gray" and "megalithic" as if they were simple rocks. This gives the reader the impression that the horses might even appear frozen, due to the fact that they had "slanted hind hooves" and "none of them snorted or shook their heads", which is very different from these animals known for their energy and power. However, we begin to see the energy of the poem build as Hughes says "stumble in the fever of a dream", which indicates movement and warmth. Eventually we see the horses described as "smoking and glistening" representing heat and shine, contrasting with the horses. the “dense gray” as they were previously described. Despite the change in atmosphere, "they still didn't make a sound", which serves as an anti-climax as the reader has been led to believe that something else could have happened. Hughes then says that he could "yet meet my memory in such a lonely place", suggesting that he enjoyed the serenity and tranquility of these horses in their natural habitat, hoping that he might experience the same feeling if he were to go back there. . Overall, it is clear that Hughes intended to show his true appreciation of nature by zooming in on a small, lifeless memory and creating a progressive, energetic poem that releases warmth and color towards the end in a positive way, almost as if it were. were an escape. Plath, on the other hand, enjoys writing about memories with the desire to find something for herself; like drama. This is clearly seen in the poem "Daddy", in which she presents herself as a poor victim of her father, presented in many negative ways. From the beginning of the poem, we see his father depicted as an authoritative figure; even the title suggests that Plath is still beneath him in the sense that she is just a little girl to him, hence the idea of ​​"Daddy" which can be considered very childish. The first line "You don't, you don't do" has the tone of a nursery rhyme, giving the reader the impression that Plath is putting herself down because of her father and perhaps the way he seems to dominate her . This is further emphasized by the use of repetition, as it sounds like a parent scolding a child, which could represent the fear and nervousness she feels in her father's presence when she says she can't speak because of “the tongue stuck in my jaw” which represents anervous stuttering as she wants to impress this powerful figure. Plath also refers to her father as "heavy in marble" and as a "horrible statue", both of which give the reader the impression of a cold, heavy but empty person, which is how Plath seems to view her father. The idea that he looks like a statue also shows how Plath viewed her father as an idol, as if she were always on a pedestal, which is further demonstrated by his "Aryan eye", which was generally considered to be that of Hitler. “perfect” breed. She also represents the absence of her father in her life in this poem due to his early death and time spent in the military, which could potentially tie into the idea of ​​war in "Thistles" by Ted Hughes . She talks about how her father "died before I had time" and how "I had to kill you", referring to the fact that she had to bury her father at age 8 after his death. The death of a parent is one of the most traumatic and devastating events in a person's life and it is clear in this poem that Plath was greatly affected by the death of her father, making her feel like a victim when she lost her idol. She further presents her memories of her father when she speaks of the "waters of beautiful Nauset", where she spent her holidays with her family; showing obvious connections to memories of his father. She then uses repetition again when she says "wars, wars, wars", which emphasizes how much time the First and Second World Wars took from her and her father, and how long they lasted. She then refers to the fact that "I could never tell where you put your foot, your root", suggesting that she was never able to discover her father's background or his personality, leaving her lost, aimless and empty internally. , Plath also used this poem to describe her father in a deep and dark way by repeatedly comparing him to the color black which is often seen as vindictive, brooding and even used to represent the unknown. This is seen throughout the poem, such as when she refers to the "black man", suggesting a mysterious or unknown figure and the "black telephone" which suggests the communication she was never able to have with her father. Along with the color black, Plath continues to use morbid metaphors to describe her relationship with her father, such as when she uses the relationship between a Jew and a Nazi to describe herself and her father. This is seen when she says, "I thought all the Germans were you" and also when she says "I mock like a Jew", which she uses to suggest her abandonment by her father. As the poem continues, we begin to see Plath thinking. about her father in an increasingly negative manner, as when she speaks of her "gypsy ancestor", implying an impure heritage that she indefinitely attributes to her father. The way she uses "Panzer-man" to describe him gives the reader the impression that he looks like a tank; impossible to damage or penetrate. She also calls her father evil, saying "but he's no less a devil for that", suggesting that he is evil and careless towards those he harms. Overall, it is clear that Plath took her personal experience and memories from her. father to represent her pain and desire for a father figure, but some critics have argued that "Daddy" was Plath's way of representing her negative experiences with men throughout her life, including her husband in the way she talks about her "pretty red heart" two", however, I think there is more evidence that she is trying to truly portray the extent of her pain and her.