Sylvia Plath’s “Two Sisters of Persephone” is arguably a poem with several levels.

On the surface it may be a duality between two sister’s with very contrasting
personalities. Yet, a little more analysis may reveal a mythical allegory in which
the Godess of the Underworld, Persephone, shares contrasting aspect of her
lives; or it may also represent a deeper observation on female identity in the
author’s era.

From the very beginning the poem provides a symbolic presence with the
mention of “Persephone”, the Goddess of the Underworld, mentioned in the title.
This mythical character gives a deeper meaning to the poem as Persephone
becomes a symbol of the cycle of life taking us back and forth from her
underworld, to life on earth. Perhaps more importantly though, the title of the
poem reveals two separate instances; as it consists of the words “The Two
Sisters”.

This separation is also emphasized in the punctuation of the poem. The use of
inconsistent punctuation with colons and semi-colons that break up the
structure and take us from one duality to the next, create a transition between
the two described instances. This transition is also enhanced through the use of
enjambment. The enjambment of the poem is essential in the understanding of
the piece. This is because it forces the reader to finish one stanza and continue
straight on the next one, in which he will find the continuation of the sentence
broken up between the two stanzas. This suggests that the dualities present in
the poem may actually be part of one individual. It is as if the author is trying to
portray the two sides of a personality.

This idea of dual personalities is emphasized further in the structure of the

poem. The poem consists of seven four-line stanzas which each contain full stops
and commas placed differently within each stanza; symbolizing the possibility of
having contrasting elements within one individual.

Following this, we can consider the figurative language of the poem, used to
convey double meanings through references to elements like nature and colour.
In lines 1 and 2 for example, Plath introduces the idea that one of the girls is
“within” the house whilst the other is “without”. They are a “duet of shade and
light”; the first sees “dry ticks mark time” whilst the second hears “ticks blown
gold”. Introducing the contrast between dark and light sensation make it clear
that not only are these sisters very different, but one may also be ‘better’ than the
other. Although this may not necessarily be the most significant aspect of
contrasting imageries, it is important to note that the idea of black and white has
clear connotations of “Bad versus Good”. This imagery is pursued throughout the
rest of the poem, as the first sister is described as “barren” and “root-pale” whilst
the second is the “sun’s bride” and “bronzed as earth”. One way in which Plath
creates double meaning with this use of contrasting imagery, is when she speaks
of ticks for example. The first sister is dryly observing time slowly tick by, whilst
the second sees them amongst the flowers, gold. The same object is used, but the
various adjectives and surrounding features like the poppies, give it an either
positive or negative twist.
Furthermore, the dualities put forth by the author are also ones which are
stereotypically relatable to the emotions of women in general. The frequent and
repetitive shifts from somber darkness to colour and brightness , from the “Root-
pale meager frame” to the “bronzed… sun’s bride” for example, may be
expressing the presence of female identity and how it is perceived.

Despite these consecutive anti-thesis though which present both the concept of
female identity and the duality of opposites; the tone of the poem is always the
same- cynical and bitter. Repetitive descriptions of opposites set a certain
pessimistic mood as there is an illusion of constant argument or fighting. Neither
the vibrant bronzed sister nor the barren virgin sister dominate in the poem and
the definite fate of the sisters is uncertain. By once again using enjambment and
bizarre punctuation from the 6th stanza to the last, the sentence “turned bitter
and sallow as any lemon, The other… goes graveyard” could be talking about
either of the sisters’ fates. It may seem more logical that it is “the other” (the
first) sister who is sallow, and it is definitely her who is bound for death,
however the “turned bitter and sallow” could also be referring to the second
sister who just bore a king. This ambiguous transition, which can be interpreted
either way, suggests that no matter which sister, which side of a personality or
which world the Goddess may be living in, it will always end in death. Here,
another internal conflict is present within the poem. The contrasting imageries
that have been used and that bare certain connotations to a reader; the idea of a
good passionate and free side, versus a more controlled, negative and cold side,
clash with this final idea that says no matter what, the end may always be death.

On top of this cynicism, the tone of the poem is added to, through the final
comments on the first sister. The lines read “The other, wry virgin to the last,
Goes graveward with flesh laid waste, Worm-husbanded, yet no woman.” This
introduces the first and only point of view from society in the poem. Plath is
saying that to society, the sister has been a “waste” as she has not had any
children and all she has managed to marry are the worms in the ground as her
body is presumably buried.

As a result of structure, tone and imagery, Plath has successfully brought into her
work manifestations of female identity, the society, nature, colour and fertility.
On a first level, she has developed the myth of the lives of a Goddess, followed by
contradicting aspects of a personality and eventually she has depicted overall
female identity in society.