Plath and Hughes are both very emotional and passionate poets who tend to use their memories as a focal point in their poems. However, every poet has similarities and differences in how they portray their memories in their writings. For example, Plath tends to write about her personal memories regarding herself or her family, while Hughes tends to write more about her interests, such as nature and the earth. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayOne poem in which Hughes clearly displays a form of memory is Thistle, as he personifies plants (thistle) using the metaphor of Vikings and Vikings. the memory of something that once existed that is affirmed when he says, “from the subterranean stain of a fallen Viking.” This phrase refers to the corpses of the Vikings that lie beneath our feet underground because they no longer exist. The fact that he used the word "stain" to describe them strongly connects to the idea of ​​memory, as it gives the reader the impression that the Vikings, despite no longer being around, will always remain something we remember in history, represented by the word "stain" " like something that will never fade away. Hughes also wrote lines such as "a vengeful blast", "splintered weapons", "Icelandic frost", and "plume of blood" which all relate strongly to the idea and history of the Vikings during their time. For example, the Vikings came from Iceland and were renowned for their advanced sailing skills; allowing them to travel to raid and fight, which is clearly referenced in this poem. Also, in the third stanza there is a line that says "They are like pale hair", which was also a common stereotype of the Scandinavian people, under the name of Vikings. In the last stanza, Hughes writes that thistles "turn gray, like men," which is a symbol of aging and the passage of time. This refers to the fact that all living things age and will eventually die, however they will remain as part of our memories for the rest of our lives. Towards the end of this poem, it says "Their sons appear, stiff with weapons, fighting on the same ground" which refers to the story of these Vikings and how, despite being dead, their sons will grow up to continue with the work of their father, allowing them to live on in people's memories. Hughes may have seen the idea of ​​the Vikings as a significant focal point for a poem as it highlights only a small area of ​​history that is still remembered to this day. However, some critics have argued that Hughes was focusing on the natural side of this poem and wanted to emphasize the power of these plants growing on our earth, as opposed to the significant story behind what might lie beneath them. For example, one critic has argued that Ted Hughes' intention with this poem was to represent plants in a negative way, as they are difficult to get rid of (like memories) and also argues that Hughes uses them to represent cycle and memory of human life and war for the way he gives them human features when he describes them with “a handful of splintered weapons”. The same critic claims that the alliteration of the phrase “blue-black” implies the image of a bruise caused by physical contact which I strongly agree with, since it gives the reader the impression of war and the idea of ​​the wounded flesh of the Vikings who fought . Another poem by Hughes that represents memories in the form of nature is "The Horses," in which he describes the sight of a herd of motionless horses as dull, lifeless, and boring until they possess some form of energy. At the beginning of the poem,the setting that Hughes memorizes is described in great detail; such as “evil air” and “frozen stillness” due to the cold and lifelessness of winter. This gives the reader the impression of a serene, peaceful, yet chilling, forest atmosphere that breaks the stereotypical wildlife idea that most people might have of these types of areas in nature. He says that "there is not a leaf, not a bird" implying complete silence in the woods, which is emphasized here by the use of repetition. The idea of ​​frozen stillness is further represented by punctuation within “A World Cast into the Frost.” As it appears dead and frozen. However, later in the poem, as the sun begins to rise, the atmosphere within the poem seems to change as we see the personification within "the valleys drained the darkness", which implies a certain sense of movement. , as well as the mention of "horses" which creates an unexpressed sense of power. They are the first signs of life mentioned, yet they are still described as "grey" and "immobilely megalithic" as if they were just boulders. This gives the reader the impression that the horses might even appear frozen, due to the fact that they had "tilted hind hooves" and "no one was snorting or shaking their heads", which is very different from these animals known for their energy and power. However, we begin to see the energy within the poem build up as Hughes says "tripping into the fever of a dream" which indicates movement and heat. Eventually, we see the horses described as "smoking and glittering" representing warmth and radiance, contrasting the "dense grey" they were previously described as. Despite the change in atmosphere, they still "made no sound", which creates an anti-climax as the reader was led to believe that something else could happen. Hughes then says that he may "encounter my memories again in such a lonely place", suggesting that he enjoyed the serenity and tranquility of these horses in their natural habitat, hoping that he could experience the same feeling if he were to return there again. . All in all it is clear that Hughes intended to show his true appreciation for nature by zooming in on a small, lifeless memory and creating a gradual, energetic poem that releases warmth and color towards the end in a positive way, almost as if they were an escape. Plath, on the other hand, loves to write about memories with the desire to find something for herself; like drama. This can be clearly seen in the poem "Daddy", in which she presents herself as a poor victim of her father, who is presented in multiple negative ways. From the beginning of the poem we see his father represented as an authoritative figure; even the title suggests that Plath is always beneath him, meaning that to him she is nothing more than a little girl, hence the idea of ​​"daddy" which can be seen as very childish. The first line "You don't, you don't do" has the tone of a nursery rhyme, giving the reader the impression that Plath is belittling herself because of her father and perhaps because of the way he seems to prevail over her . This is further emphasized by the use of repetition as it sounds like a parent scolding a child, which could represent the fear and nervousness he feels towards his father when he says he can't speak because of his "tongue stuck in my jaw ” which represents a nervous stammer as he wants to impress this powerful figure. Plath also refers to her father as "heavy of marble" and as a "hideous statue", both of which give the reader the impression of a cold, heavy but empty person, which is how Plath seems to view her father. The idea of ​​him as a statue also points to the way Plath looked at her father as an idol,as if he was always on a pedestal, which is further demonstrated by his "Aryan eye", which was typically seen as Hitler's. "perfect" breed. In this poem she also represents the absence of her father in her life due to his early death and time spent in the army, which could potentially be linked to the idea of ​​war in "Cardi" by Ted Hughes. He says that his father "died before I had time" and that "I had to kill you", referring to the fact that he had to bury his father at the age of 8 after his death. The death of a parent is one of these most traumatic and devastating events in a person's life and in this poem it is made clear that Plath was heavily affected by the death of her father, making her feel like a victim when she lost her idol. She also presents her memories of her father when she speaks of the "waters of the beautiful Nauset", where she went on holiday with her family; showing obvious connections to his father's memories. Then she uses repetition once again when she says "wars, wars, wars" which emphasizes the amount of time that World War I and World War II caused her to miss with her father, and how long they lasted. She then refers to how "I could never tell where you put your foot, your root", suggesting that she was never able to discover her father's background or his personality, leaving her with a lost, purposeless feeling and empty inside. , Plath also used this poem to describe her father in a deep and dark way, repeatedly comparing him to the color black which is often seen as vindictive, moody, and even used to represent the unknown. This is seen throughout the poem, for example when she refers to the "bogeyman", suggesting a mysterious or unknown figure, and to the "black telephone" suggesting the communication she was never able to have with her father. In addition to the color black, Plath continues to use morbid metaphors to describe her relationship with her father, such as when she uses the relationship between a Jew and a Nazi to describe herself and her father. This is demonstrated when he says, "I thought all Germans were you" and also when he says, "You make fun of me like a Jew", which he uses to suggest his abandonment by his father. As the poem continues, we begin to see Plath reflect on her father more and more negatively, such as when she speaks of her "gypsy ancestor," implying an impure heritage that she indefinitely blames on her father. The way he uses "Panzer-man" to describe him gives the reader the impression that he is similar to a tank; impossible to damage or penetrate. He also refers to his father as a devil saying "but no less a devil", suggesting that he is evil and careless of whom he harms. Overall, it is clear that Plath took her personal experience and memories of her father to represent her grief and longing for a father figure, however some critics have argued that "dad" was Plath's way of representing her experiences negative with men throughout her life, including her husband, from the way she talks about her "pretty red heart split", however I think there is more evidence that she is trying to truly represent the extent of her pain and his suffering due to his father's absence, unlike Hughes' writing style where he seems to write about much less personal memories. a further poem in which Plath shows a personal memory of her father is Full Fathom five, in which she creates a mythological story using the sea god, Poseidon, as shown by the phrase "The old origin myth", to present her father as a strong, godlike figure who has had a largely negative effect on his life, which is directly implied by the title which can mean.