Genre-thematic Features and Conceptual Dominants of the Confessional Poetry of Sylvia Plath

Abstract

The article examines the main themes, genre features and dominant conceptual fields, reflecting the poetic vision of Sylvia Plath as one of the iconic representatives of confessional poetry. Fifteen poems served the material for the research. The linguistic and pragmatic analysis allowed identifying the most frequently recurring motive structures, typical for S. Plath’s poetic image of the world. S. Plath often turns to mythological and biblical themes to explore complex emotional and psychological states of the speaker. In Plath's poetic image of the world, nature notions acquire conceptual significance as a conduit of emotional states and reflections on the essence of human existence. S. Plath’s poetry deals with the complexities of identity formation and the struggle for self-identification in society, which often imposes rigid gender roles and social expectations. A special place in Plath’s poetic image of the world is occupied by the concepts of illness, death and suicide, reflecting her struggle with mental disorders and depression. The themes in her poems, the use of various literary techniques, the poetic exploration of personal experience indicate the confessional aspect of Plath’s poetic heritage, her deep understanding of the human condition, her focus on personal experiences and feelings.