Inner Journeys/Sylvia Plath

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The inner journey is a metaphysical process in which an individual travels into their own psyche often resulting in a form of self realisation. Although the journey is not physical, an inner journey is a powerful tool in which one can enhance their knowledge of the world and their own human nature. The texts that I will use to illustrate the inner journey are Daddy and Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath, The Ivory Trail by Victor Kelleher and the film Elizabeth made in 1998 and starring Cate Blanchett. Sylvia Plath utilises the inner journey as a way to explore aspects of her life through the medium of poetry. Her poem ‘Daddy’ denotes the purgative effects as Plath releases her anger towards her father’s death and her ambivalence toward their relationship. The purpose of this journey is to overcome her father’s powerful influence and to get past her feelings of entrapment. Plath’s inner journey is realised as evident in stanza 12‘And I said I do, I do so Daddy I’m finally through the black telephone’s off at the root...’ As the inner journey represented in Daddy reaches an end, there is a distinct tonal shift from bitterness to empowerment as suggested in the final stanza as she announces ‘Daddy, daddy, you bastard I’m through’, thus she has fulfilled the purpose of her journey. The poem ‘Lady Lazarus’ does not serve as a complete inner journey. However through analysing this poem in context of her body of work it appears to have served as a representation of the end of an inner journey. While ‘Daddy’ in particular reveals her struggle with life and brewing of self hate, Lady Lazarus shows the consequence of this journey as she tries to take her own life. She appears to have reached some form of insanity in Lady Lazarus which is shown through her inappropriately blasé tone as she refers to her suicide as ‘I’ve done it again, one year in every ten, I manage it.’ The
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