Erik Molbe

Professor Tubbs

ENGL 1302-118

“Lady Lazarus” Annotations

Before reading “Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath, I looked up the definition of the word

“Lazarus” and got the meaning of an idea with the deceased. My expectations were the idea that

there would be a woman who may have persevered through some sort of death experience, as it

was hard for me to make some predictions on a topic I know very little about. After reading the

poem, thoughts were all over the place as it starts on a very strong giving sign of perseverance

using the word “miracle”, making my reactions seem to be what I thought them to be.

Continuing to read, there is a description of how the lady’s face is sort of deformed. I thought the

connection with the title was very well with the use of having lives like a cat, but the idea of

death comes into play, on how well it is and where it is better to die has me confused. Lastly, my

reaction is that “Lady Lazarus” is just repeating over and over again, and I question where the

speaker comes from, wondering if it has anything to do with Sylvia Plath or not.

● Stanza 1-3: There is a description of a woman who has pulled off of a miracle, but has

taken a loss of features to the body, where they turned into the shape of a lampshade and

paper weights.

● Stanza 4-6: There is an idea of someone who has good facial attributes, but will soon

vanish and stating how some sort of flesh that is going to be eaten.

● Stanza 7-9: There is a description of a lady with nine lives like a cat, also this is the third

time she has died, for the third decade, and a peanut crunching crowd.
● Stanza 10-12: The lady begins to tease the foot that is oddly shaped, but has skin and

bone for a body, and she hasn’t changed from the first time she died when she was ten.

● Stanza 13-15: It seems to be that the lady tried to die for good on the second attempt,

looking like she was trying to kill herself, as she didn’t want to come back at all. Overall,

it was odd of having worms taken off of her.

● Stanza 16-18: These stanzas were “Lady Lazarus” description of the way death is and

what way is the best to do it, also why she does it. Lastly, dying is defined as an art.

● Stanza 19-21: This is the feeling she has after dying, the idea of it being a miracle, the

viewing of her scars, what gives her a charge.

● Stanza 22-24: This stanza is sort of confusing, how there is a form of charge with blood?

Also it talks about her and clothes, but how she is also valuable.

● Stanza 25-27: There is an idea of concern and how the Lady burns, using a description of

flesh and bone, but the last stanza is confusing talking about gold rings.

● Stanza 28 & 29: The last stanzas mention about Lucifer, but how “Lady Lazarus” is

powerful, rising with red hair and can eat men like air.