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The prince leans to the girl in scarlet heels,
Her green eyes slant, hair flaring in a fan
Of silver as the rondo slows; now reels
Begin on tilted violins to span
The whole revolving tall glass palace hall
Where guests slide gliding into light like wine;
Rose candles flicker on the lilac wall
Reflecting in a million flagons' shine,
And glided couples all in whirling trance
Follow holiday revel begun long since,
Until near twelve the strange girl all at once
Guilt-stricken halts, pales, clings to the prince
As amid the hectic music and cocktail talk
She hears the caustic ticking of the clock.
Sylvia Plath
Read poems about / on: girl, silver, music, rose, hair, green, light
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Click here to write your comments about this poem (Cinderella by Sylvia Plath)
Brian Edwards (5/7/2008 10:50:00 PM)
When reading Plath's work, it's important to remember that not only was she an incredibly gifted writer with a natural feel for the language, she was also fiercely intelligent and calculated. Layers of meaning are rarely unintentional in her poems. It's about Cinderella and it's about the poet. It's about the loss of the moment and it's about the loss of youth (a recurring theme in her work, dealt with more saliently in 'Mirror') . Knowing as much as we do about her tragic life and death, there is an unfortunate tendency to seek autobiography in all of Plath's work. Viewing her oeuvre through such a narrow lens only serves to diminish her not inconsiderable poetic powers. |
Linda Jacobs (1/27/2008 11:00:00 PM)
I have an image of this couple, the man is very dear and special to the girl, as he is a prince to her. Like Cinderella’s prince, he is becoming more intimate as he dances with his young companion I.e. girl in scarlet heels. Here scarlet heels to me means sexy and clandestine. An affair going on perhaps? She responds I.e. green eyes slant, hair flaring in a fan of silver*. As one musical piece ends, which is a rondo (recurring theme, contrasting episodes) and a different tempo begins I.e. now reels begin on tilted violins - this also shifts to a panoramic view of this dance and where it is and who is there. But then, this girl is not part of this crowd, . And she knows before anyone else, especially her prince, that this euphoric moment with him will end. And she doesn’t want that, as she clings to him. Like Cinderella knew she had to get out of there before midnight or else. She hears the clock ticking, the caustic ticking of the clock. Extreme imagery from intimate, magical to the end, emptiness. Caustic is a harsh word. And the feeling is felt. And like Cinderella who loses all her charms at midnight, the same will happen to this girl in the scarlet heels.
*hair flairing in a fan of silver. I was wondering if this 'girl' is not a girl at all, but an older woman, lost in a dreamy moment with her lover, but knowing that it will soon be over and reality will surface and her agedness will be felt. |
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Sylvia Plath
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