Ted Hughes’s obsession of death is clearly expressed in some of his poems. And also Sylvia Plath’s mind is in under stress causing it to for depression to reoccur in her life with Ted. The writers also explore the different way in their books and poems. Esther’s mind forays into the world of mentally ill, where as Ted Hughes’s physical affairs with other women is compromising because he was not well connected to Sylvia and they did not have a happy life with each other.
The birthday letters which is in nostalgic and written in 2 poet’s perspective that reflects differences in personalities between the Yorkshire Academic for Ted vs. Sylvia’s American College. First few poems are shown that Ted didn’t know Sylvia but after a few poems it gives it a structure where the language is like a fairytale and reminds us the experiences that Sylvia went through her life before her suicide.
One of the examples are that the poem ‘Isis’ which personifies death, looking at the title it suggests that the it is linked with Egyptian goddess of life and light. Being nostalgic and the goddess in a way represented Sylvia. It goes through the dark and the pain that Sylvia goes throughout the labour: “between the hip- bones” suggesting that she was pregnant and had the child of Ted in her stomach. It is an interesting comparison with the Bell Jar because it directly relates to Paths’ mental state. The issue of life and death seems to constantly haunt Plath because of her constant references to suicide. The repetition of word “death” is mentioned in early chapter of Bell jar which could represent of her obsession death and killing herself which later in the book we find out that she tries to commit several suicide. Esther is self-absorbed, intensely engaged with food, and fascinated by her own blood. In a description that draws together strikingly the linked imagery of bleeding, food, and clothes, Esther "practices" for her suicide by cutting her leg: "a bright seam of red welled up at the lip of the slash. The blood gathered darkly, like fruit, and rolled down my ankle into the cup of my black patent leather shoe"
Word death is repetitive and is strongly used by both writers. ‘ Was ‘so wonderful, so lit. so wonderful” in that phrase she is talking about after death. Ted uses these to recall the memories with Sylvia and the only thought do come and expressed throughout his work is Sylvia’s pain and suffering se had to go through. She had a hard life and started by her father who passed away when she was 7. She has the memories of her father:
“brought you to the horned, bellowing
Grave of your risen father
And your own corpse in it”
This stanza suggests that the traumatised by the death f his father. This tells her that the poem “ The Montour”, which again religious connation is possibly Greek mythology shows the relationship of Ted and Sylvia’s were on low but he still stood by her and tells her to put her shoulder into her poems and they will be away. He wants her to concentrate on her written work rather than her worrying about father’s death, which in this case she should take her mind away from ominous thoughts. A Pink Wool Knitted Dress seems to touch upon the idea of Hughes’ resistance towards Plath’ change in character. He mentions, “Before anything had smudged” which refers to her perfection before her life was overshadowed by death. He refers to heaven and uses ‘flames’ as a symbol of hell. He portrays death more realistically due to its spiritual connotation whilst Plath addresses it in a more naïve manner. For example, she states “That morning I tried to kill myself.”
