Death Consciousness in "Ariel" by Sylvia Plath

Abstract

Sylvia Plath is one of greatest stars in the galaxy of twentieth Century American poetry. In all her poetic volumes, more specially in "Ariel", Plath has portrayed death as a perfection, an accomplishment or as a victory. Death must be seen not as an end but as an opening of new universe. For Sylvia Plath, death not only destroys all the forms of the false self but also becomes a means of self-generation and rebirth into a new Life. Many of Plath's popular poems like “Lady Lazarus”, “Elm”, “Tulips” “Ariel and “A Birthday Present” depict that self purification and self- transcendence are the major themes which pave the path to the birth of a true and authentic self.

Key Words- Accomplishment, rebirth, purification, transcendence, authentic self etc.