Would you consider Sylvia Plath’s Daddy to be an expression against the voice of patriarchy? Comment critically

Get the full solved assignment PDF of MEG-01 of 2024-25 session now by clicking on above button.

Sylvia Plath’s poem “Daddy” is often interpreted as a powerful expression of rebellion against the voice of patriarchy, though it is far more complex than a straightforward critique. The poem channels deep personal pain, psychological struggle, and historical allusions into an intense confrontation with paternal authority, which can be extended to symbolize the oppressive structures of patriarchal control.

1. The Central Figure of the Father

At its core, “Daddy” deals with Plath’s fraught relationship with her deceased father, Otto Plath, who died when she was eight years old. The father figure in the poem, however, transcends the personal to embody a more universal symbol of oppressive male authority. The father is depicted as a larger-than-life, controlling force who dominates Plath’s speaker emotionally and psychologically, even from beyond the grave.

The father is compared to a Nazi, a vampire, and a devil—figures of extreme power and oppression, which aligns him with the archetype of patriarchal dominance. These comparisons illustrate the speaker’s sense of being controlled and suffocated by this overwhelming figure. The lines, “I have always been scared of you, / With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo,” evoke the terror associated with totalitarian authority, which can be seen as a metaphor for patriarchal rule.
The speaker’s attempt to break free from her father’s influence can be interpreted as a rebellion against the patriarchal control he represents. The poem’s famous line, “Daddy, I have had to kill you,” suggests an emotional and psychological severing of the paternal hold that has haunted the speaker’s life. The act of killing the father symbolically represents the speaker’s rejection of his oppressive power, an act that can be read as a rejection of patriarchy itself.

2. Patriarchy as Oppression

Throughout “Daddy”, the speaker describes her relationship with her father in terms that reflect extreme oppression, dominance, and helplessness. The imagery of fascism, in particular, highlights the sense of total control the father has over the speaker, aligning him with historical symbols of violence and tyranny.

Nazi and Holocaust Imagery: Plath controversially uses Nazi and Holocaust imagery to describe the father-daughter relationship. The father is compared to a “Panzer-man,” and the speaker imagines herself as a Jew persecuted by him. While this imagery may seem excessive, it conveys the extent of the speaker’s psychological torment and the oppressive nature of the father’s control. This can be seen as an allegory for the broader experience of women under patriarchy—silenced, oppressed, and stripped of agency.
Victimhood and Powerlessness: The speaker’s sense of victimhood is central to the poem, as seen in the line, “I began to talk like a Jew. / I think I may well be a Jew.” Here, the speaker identifies herself with historical victims of oppression, suggesting that her personal experience of patriarchal control mirrors the experience of those subjected to violent authority. In this sense, the father becomes a representative of the broader system of patriarchy that dehumanizes and marginalizes women.

3. Male Authority and Female Identity

The father’s dominance in the poem is not only personal but also linked to broader male authority and the construction of female identity within patriarchal structures. The speaker’s struggle to define herself outside of her father’s shadow reflects the broader struggle women face to form identities independent of male control and societal expectations.

Loss of Voice and Agency: The speaker’s inability to speak to her father is emblematic of the silencing effect patriarchy can have on women. She says, “I never could talk to you. / The tongue stuck in my jaw.” This loss of voice represents the powerlessness imposed on the speaker, and by extension, on women living under patriarchal systems. Her inability to express herself in her father’s presence symbolizes the suffocating control patriarchy exerts on female identity and autonomy.
Marriage and the Continuation of Patriarchy: In “Daddy”, the speaker also alludes to her marriage to Ted Hughes, suggesting that her husband became a surrogate for her father’s oppressive influence. The lines, “And then I knew what to do. / I made a model of you,” imply that her husband continued the same patriarchal control that her father had wielded. This continuation of oppression through marriage reflects how patriarchal structures are perpetuated within domestic relationships, with women often finding themselves trapped in cycles of male dominance.

4. Ambiguity and Psychological Complexity

While “Daddy” can certainly be read as an expression of rebellion against patriarchy, it is important to note the poem’s psychological complexity. The speaker’s emotions are not purely those of anger or hatred; they are also marked by a sense of loss, longing, and ambivalence. This emotional complexity complicates the poem’s relationship with the father figure, suggesting that the speaker’s desire to break free is intertwined with feelings of love, grief, and unresolved attachment.

Ambivalence Toward the Father: The speaker simultaneously expresses hatred for and attachment to the father, evident in lines like, “Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.” The repetition of “daddy” throughout the poem suggests a lingering need for the father’s presence, even as the speaker seeks to break free from his control. This ambivalence reflects the difficulty of fully escaping patriarchal structures, as they are often deeply ingrained in personal identity and familial relationships.
Psychological Trauma: The poem also conveys the speaker’s psychological trauma, which complicates a purely feminist reading of “Daddy”. The father is not only a symbol of patriarchy but also a deeply personal source of emotional pain and confusion. This blurring of the personal and the political adds depth to the poem, as the speaker’s struggle is not simply with an abstract system of oppression but with her own psyche and sense of self.

Conclusion:

While Sylvia Plath’s “Daddy” can certainly be interpreted as an expression against the voice of patriarchy, the poem’s meaning is layered and complex. The father in the poem represents more than just a literal paternal figure—he embodies oppressive authority, dominance, and control that extend beyond the personal to reflect broader patriarchal structures. The speaker’s desire to break free from the father’s influence can be seen as a rebellion against patriarchal control over female identity and voice.

However, the poem’s psychological complexity and ambivalence add nuance to this reading. The speaker’s relationship with the father is marked by both hatred and longing, reflecting the deep emotional and psychological scars left by patriarchal oppression. Ultimately, “Daddy” is a powerful exploration of personal trauma, patriarchal dominance, and the complexities of identity, making it a multi-dimensional critique of male authority while also serving as a deeply personal expression of Plath’s own struggles.