Descartes Existence Of God Essay - 588 Words

The existence of God has been a question since the idea of God was conceived. Descartes tries to prove Gods existence, to disprove his Evil demon theory, and to show that there is without a doubt something external to ones own existence. He is looking for a definite certainty, a foundation for which he can base all of his beliefs and know for a fact that they are true. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Descartes overall project is to find a definite certainty on which he can base all his knowledge and beliefs. A foundation that he will be able to prove without a doubt. To find a definite certainty he uses a methodical doubt, this states that anything that could be doubted must be taken as false. This is done to find an absolute certainty for†¦show more content†¦From this definite foundation Descartes tries to prove that there is something external to the mind. So he states the law of casualty. This basically says that nothing can be created from nothing, and that the less perfect can not create something more perfect or better than itself. Then if there is an idea in our minds that we didn’t create, something else created it. If God is more perfect than us, then we could not have created God but God created us. Descartes then wrote about the idea of God. He said that God is infinite and could not have been created by us because God is more perfect than us thus undoubtable and certain. The idea that God exists disproves the Evil Genius theory therefore proves the existence of an external world. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Anslem and Descartes’ theories both prove that there is a God and they both use some similar ideas in their premises’. For instance, they both rely on the faith that there is an idea of God; he is perfect and self evident. God could not have been conceived if there wasn’t a God. Though, Descartes says that the less perfect can not create something more perfect or better than itself, and that we are less perfect than God therefore we could not have created God. So, this proves the existence of God and an external world. On the other hand, Anslem says Existence is greater than conception and nothing greater can be conceived then God.Show MoreRelatedDescartes and the Existence of God751 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Descartes: The existence of God Over the course of his treatise Discourse on the Method, the philosopher Rene Descartes attempts to refute radical skepticism, or the idea that we can know nothing with the mind, because what we consider reality may simply be a delusion or a dream. Descartes begins, however, by taking a posture of doubting everything, and then attempting to discern what could be known for certain. Rather than attempting to affirm his existence, I thought that a procedure exactlyRead MoreDescartes : The Existence Of God1682 Words   |  7 Pages Descartes’ attempt to prove the existence of God begins with the Trademark argument. He reasons that by having an idea of an infinite being with a certain degree of â€Å"objective reality†, â€Å"there must be at least as much reality in the efficient and total cause in the effect of that cause† (40). Descartes’ idea of God has more objective reality of any of his ideas. Therefore, God must be the cause of his idea as a resul t of his existence. In what follows I will explain these terms and why theRead More Descartes and the Existence of God Essay1140 Words   |  5 PagesDescartes and the Existence of God Once Descartes has realized that he can know with certainty that â€Å"I exist† is true, he continues to build on his foundation of truths. The truth about the nature of God, proof of God’s existence, and the nature of corporeal objects are considered, among others, after Descartes proves his existence. Descartes’ principal task in the Meditations was to devise a system that would bring him to the truth. He wanted to build a foundation from which all further philosophicalRead MoreDescartes Proof Of The Existence Of God1609 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most important ideas upon which Descartes’s proof of the existence of God rests is that rational minds face constraints. While God is the absolute infinite, humans and other beings exist with limitations on their actions. One of these limitations is human intellect, which Descartes names as one component of the cause of our tendency toward error as humans. The finite nature of human intellect, he argue s, combines with an infinite will which causes us to seek an understanding of phenomenaRead MoreDescartes Argument For God s Existence Of God Essay1103 Words   |  5 Pagespaper, I offer a reconstruction of Descartes argument for God’s existence in the Third Meditation. Descartes tries to prove the existence of God with an argument that proceeds from the clear and distinct idea of an infinite being to the existence of himself. He believes that his clear and distinct idea of an infinite being with infinite â€Å"objective reality† leads to the occurrence of the â€Å"Special Causal Principle†. I will start by discussing and analyzing Descartes clear and distinct idea of an infiniteRead MoreDescartes Fourth Meditation On The Existence Of God1382 Words   |  6 PagesIn Descartes’ Fifth Meditation, he delivers an argument that has come to be known as the Ontological Argument. It is here that Descartes argues for the existence of God, through a priori re asoning. In order to understand both the strengths and weakness of this argument, I will first break it down into its main premises. From here, I will argue that despite the simplicity and use of reasoning in the argument, the weaknesses outweigh the strengths, and ultimately that the argument fails. To allow forRead MoreDescartes Second Argument For The Existence Of God1642 Words   |  7 PagesPaper: Descartes’ Second Argument for the Existence of God As with almost all of Descartes inquiries the roots of his second argument for the existence of God begin with his desire to build a foundation of knowledge that he can clearly and distinctly perceive. At the beginning of the third meditation Descartes once again recollects the things that he knows with certainty. The problem arises when he attempts to clearly and distinctly understand truths of arithmetic and geometry. Descartes has enoughRead MoreDescartes s Meditations On The Existence Of God929 Words   |  4 PagesDescartes sets out in his meditations to prove that something exists beyond any doubt. He determines that the only way to prove anything outside of his mind is to prove the existence of his idea of God. The ideas that come from his process are interesting, but he doesn’t prove the existence of God is undeniable. Several arguments Descartes uses to claim God exists, don’t hold up to what he has proved up to that point in his meditations. The first being his use of the causal principle on which theRead MoreDescartes Argument for the Existence of God Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pages Descartes employs what is known as an ontological argument to prove the existence of God. Saint Anselm who lived during the 11th century first formulated this type of argument. Since then it has proved popular with many philosophers including Rene` Descartes. Even though ontological arguments have lost popularity with modern philosophers there has been some recent attempts to revive them. Descartes formulation is regarded as being one of the best because it is straight forward and relativelyRead MoreDescartes Ontological Argument For The Existence Of God1302 Words   |  6 Pages10/30/2014 Descartes’ Ontological Argument for the Existence of God The Ontological Argument for the existence of God is an a priori argument that aims to demonstrate that God’s real-world existence follows necessarily from the concept of God. In Meditation V of Discourse on Methods and Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes presents his version of the Ontological Argument for the existence of God. In this essay, I will argue that this argument fails because necessary existence for a concept

Medieval Period The Middle Ages - 1964 Words

The period of time from approximately 500 AD - 1600 AD is commonly know as the Middle Ages. It is also known synonymously as the Dark Ages; a time devoid of any art, literature, theatre, or innovations. A Medieval scholar will be quick to dispute these claims for when one begins to study this time period it becomes hard to deny the plethora of artistic development over the thousand year period. Theatre scholars and practitioners are not immune to this common misconception. In the long history of theatrics the timeline often goes from Roman theatre straight to Elizabethan with the exception of Morality Plays being the only genre of note in between. This then leads to misconception that the only plays of the Medieval Period are Morality†¦show more content†¦King Henry VIII came to power on April, 22 1509. This means that The Interlude of Youth was written very early into King Henry VIII’s reign and the young king would have just entered his twenties. Therefore it is not difficult to come the conclusion that the brash young Prince Youth is a representation of King Henry VIII. An easy proof of this in the text can be found in Youth’s first speech when he declares that his ‘legs be full light for to run,/ To hop dance, and make merry.’ These lines are strongly reminiscent of ‘The arrogance and vanity of the young Henry experienced by visitors to the English court such as Pietro Pasqualigo, the Venetian diplomat to whom the King showed off his muscular leg in 1515.’ During the course of the play Youth is allured in to friendship with Riot, Pride and Lechery who are embodiments of the traits their very names suggest. All the while Charity and Humility try the length of the play to keep Youth away from Riot, Pride and Lechery in order to ensure that he will be a ruler with virtue and without vice. The plot of The Interludes of Youth may seem inconsequential to a modern audience, but knowing that Youth is Henry VIII a nd that this play was specifically commissioned by Henry Algernon Percy the fifth earl ofShow MoreRelatedThe Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages901 Words   |  4 PagesThe Medieval Bestiary During the middle Ages there was thought to be a spiritual aspect to animals – real and imaginary. The bestiary was an odd compilation, even to today s standards. It combined observations from nature, zoological commentaries, imaginative illustrations and a good dose of moral and religious lessons to bind it all together. In a time where there was no distinct separation between church and science, it seems almost natural that a book like the bestiary evolved from such an unlikelyRead MoreThe Medieval Period Of The Middle Ages1183 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the Middle ages countless disputes over power occur. From corrupted government officials, to establishing a proper structure for Roman Catholicism. However, one can argue whether it’s good or bad intentions with great powers comes great responsibility. The Medieval period began from the 5th century when the Western Roman Empire collapsed, to 15th century. During the Medieval Period the Roman Church was the dominat ed church. The church controlled religion, philosophy, morals, politics, artRead MoreThe Early Middle Ages And Early Medieval Period Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesfocus on medieval to modern times can help you learn about what historians call the late antiquity, early middle ages, and the early modern period. These periods were all crucial in the formation of modern government, philosophy, culture as well as many other aspects and qualities of society today. The late antiquity, the early middle ages and the early modern period were all named by historians to mark significant changes in politics, culture and spirituality. The late antiquity period is saidRead MoreArt in the Middle Ages and The Renaissance and Its Effect in Society1017 Words   |  5 PagesThe Medieval period also referred to as the Middle Ages was the period of time between the demise of the Roman Empire and the Renaissance era; this was the period from the 5th century to the 17th century in Europe. During this time, society conformed to the feudal system which was based on the hierarchy approach which upper class had control over the lower class. Included in this class structure were kings, lords, neighboring kings, peasants and church leaders. In the Middle Ages, art evolvesRead MoreHow Truth Was Defined By Medieval Europeans1696 Words   |  7 PagesEric Green Urban British Literature 1st 3 December 2015 How Truth Was Defined By Medieval Europeans In life majority of people believe telling the truth is the correct way of living. Truth has endured the world throughout time and is seemingly unanswerable to those who do not understand it because this subject appears in every culture. Truth goes along with universal questions such as what is beauty, justice, and power. And love but none have a direct answer because they are all dependent onRead MoreMedieval Period in European History1575 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The medieval period in European history begins after the fall of the Roman Empire around 500 C.E., and continued until the early modern period beginning around 1500. The medieval period is split into the sub-categories of early medieval (500-1000), central middle ages (1000-1300), late medieval (1300-1500), and followed by the early modern period (1500-1800). At each of these periods of time important political, economic, social, cultural, religious and scientific changes were beingRead MoreThose Horrible Middle Ages !1433 Words   |  6 PagesAs indicated by the sarcastic title of her book â€Å"Those Terrible Middle Ages!† French historian Rà ©gine Pernoud addresses this commonly held misconception. She argues this time in history spanning approximately a thousand years as well as the image of the Church, have been irresponsibly represented. Her examination of this time period reveals that it is not the Church, but modernism that generates a return to the classical ideol ogy of antiquity. These ancient pagan beliefs of the distant past are notRead MoreSummary of Medieval and Renaissance Criticism1505 Words   |  7 PagesSummary of Medieval and Renaissance Criticism Submitted by R. Zothanmawia V Semester BA R/no: 1101BA005 MEDIEVAL CRITICISM The period between the Classical Age and the Renaissance is vaguely named the Middle Age or the Medieval Age. In England, this period spans eight centuries and historians place it from the year of composition of Beowulf in 725 AD to 1474 AD when Caxton published the first book ever printed. The only standard work that dealt with Medieval Criticism is English Literary Criticism:Read MoreThe Late Middle Ages And Medieval Times996 Words   |  4 PagesThe Middle Ages, or Medieval Times, lasted from the fifth to fifteenth centuries in European history. Specifically, 1300-1500 brought about the period known as the Late Middle Ages. In this period, a decline of the quality of life became apparent. The Late Middle Ages is viewed largely as the early beginnings of what would become the Renaissance only a couple of centuries later. Even being the late part of the Middle Ages, much of this time was still prevalently medieval much like the earlier centuriesRead MoreWomen As Represented In Society By Anita Kay OPry-Reynolds-Renolds938 Words   |  4 PagesRepresented in Medieval Literature in Society by Anita Kay OPry-Reynolds-Renolds you can find a different way of how women men were supposed to act during the Medieval time period. She finds evidence from different Medieval wor ks of literatures to help support her thesis. OPry-Reynolds uses some details from Beowulf, Lancelot, Knight of the Cart, and Sir Gawain and The Green Knight to show the different gender roles between men and women. The details OPry-Reynolds finds from the different Medieval literatures

Who is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet Free Essays

Essay topic: Who is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? The tragic death of Romeo and Juliet can be amounted to the many factors and influences, however, it can be condensed to the feuding households of Capulets and Montagues, the good-hearted Friar Lawrence and the actions of the ‘star-cross’d lovers’. The ill-fated death of the young lovers is a consequence of the unfortunate events and circumstances created by these characters mentioned. The ‘ancient grudge’ between the Capulets and Montagues sets the foundation for unfortunate events that catapults their offspring to their ultimate demise. We will write a custom essay sample on Who is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The ‘pernicious rage’ between both households ‘alike in dignity’ has significant impact on the course of Romeo and Juliet’s lamentable love story. Most importantly, the existence of the quarrel presents a considerable impediment for Romeo and Juliet to ultimately ‘be together’ and enjoy their courtship. The ‘canker’d hate’ between old Capulet and Montague has being so saturated in Romeo and Juliet that from the get go, both conceal their relationship and take the‘faithful vow’ in surreptitiously. The quarrel has resulted in violence as an accepted part of life for the two and an acceptable way to resolve problems. Romeo is forced to defend his family’s honour and his own by avenging the death of Mercutio resulting in the death of Tybalt although Romeo had indeed attempted to avoid any violence with the cousin of this dear wife leading to the banishment of Romeo to Mantua. The authoritative parenting causes Romeo and Juliet to irrational decisions as a means to solving their problems as they see no other way. Old Capulet and Lady Capulet in particular are much more forceful of their opinions on Juliet and expect her to uphold their wishes. After the death of Tybalt, OId Capulet hastens his preparations for the marriage between the count and Juliet pushing Juliet over the edge leading her to disastrous and dangerous decisions to be with her ‘true love’. The actions of the Capulets and Montagues are accountable for the many events that lead to the tragic death of Romeo and Juliet. The benevolent Friar Lawrence creates many complications in the tale of Romeo and Juliet although his intentions are good-hearted. Although the Friar is ary of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship, he immediately agrees to be Romeos ‘assistant’ in hopes of turning their ‘household’s rancour to pure love’ and unites the lovers with a ‘faithful vow’. The friar not only disregards his ‘misgivings’ but also plays privy to the relationship and marriage of the ‘star-cross’d lovers’. The priest inadvertently feeds Romeo and Juliet irresponsible and extreme id eas and devises to ensure that their love will live on. When Juliet came to him with ‘wild looks’, Friar Lawrence suggests that Juliet take a sleeping potion before her ‘marriage’ to Count Paris and feign death until the arrival of her lord, Romeo. This again necessitates the use of dishonesty for Juliet to her parents. When Romeo receives news the ‘death’ of his ‘true love’ he jumps to conclusions and purchases a vial of poison to take his own life with. Friar Lawrence was not prepared for this turn of events though he devised a plan that Romeo should ‘know our drift’ things did not occur so and Romeo takes his life. When Juliet awakens to find poison be Romeo’s ‘timeless end’ she too takes her life after the friar had unintentionally promoted and encouraged the hasty decisions of the two lovers. Although the friar had kind-hearted intentions he was ‘miscarried’ and consequently was responsible for the bereavement of Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet’s own hasty and naive decisions contribute largely to their ‘untimely death’. Both Romeo and Juliet recognise the danger in their courtship when the come to the realisation that their love is ‘sprung from†¦only hate’ but continue to court each other in clandestine and still believe that they can associate with each other. The resolution of marriage for Romeo and Juliet was one of hastiness and impulsiveness; the couple had known each other for but a few hours! Although Juliet feels that that their love was ‘too rash†¦too like lightening’ she still mentions marriage.. Romeo heeds no avail of the friar’s wise words to be ‘wisely and slow’ and agrees to exchange the ‘faithful vow’. The pair are an ‘hour but married’ and Romeo is ‘banish’d’ for slewing Tybalt, once again the young lovers rush to consummate their marriage before Romeo escapes to Mantua. When Balthasar brings tidings of Juliet’s ‘death’, he also advises Romeo to ‘have patience’ but Romeo inflicted with desperation and self-pity, yet again pays no attention and hastens to the Capulets monument where he proceeds in taking his life swiftly although he had noticed that Juliet’s lips were ‘crimson’ still. The couple in their passionate throws and young naivety held no respect to the wise advice they were given by the friar nor did they take notice of their own suspicions of warning and ultimately their ‘untimely’ death can be attributed by their own actions and behaviours. In conclusion, the grievous death of Romeo and Juliet is consequently the responsibility of not one lone character but various characters and events that took place. The ‘fury’ of the Capulets and Montagues, the naive Friar Lawrence and Romeo and Juliet themselves play key roles in the misfortunes that led to the fatality of not only Romeo and Juliet but Tybalt and Mercutio as well, ‘all are punish’d’. How to cite Who is most to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet?, Papers

Sylvia Plath free essay sample

What makes a good poet? Having an imagination? Natural talent? Being a hard worker? Or oddly enough, can it be personal suffering and victimization? Daddy, daddy, you bastard, Im through (Plath 80) is what Sylvia Plath emotionally portrays in her admired poem, Daddy. This is the last line of the poem, also being one of the last lines she would ever write in her life. Sylvia Plath excelled in school since she was a child; she was ambitiously driven to succeed. She kept a Journal from the age of eleven and her poems were published in regional magazines and newspapers. She excelled at Smith College, writing 400 poems throughout her four years there (neuroticpoets. com). Her success and talent made up the condescending, smooth surface to a Jagged disturbed and depressed woman. Plath suffered from self- destruction, which only weakened her further. Raw emotion Jumps off of the pages as one intently reads her works. Ironically, her personal struggles are what make her work so astonishing, proclaiming Plath to be one of the best poets who has ever lived. Sylvias childhood upbringing is what started these person struggles, her father being the first indicator to her emotional spiral. Plath was born on October 27, 1932 in the middle class town of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Her mother, Aureila, taught English and German studies at Boston University, and that is how she met her husband, Otto, who was an entomologist at the same school. She also had a younger brother, Warren, who is four years younger than her. Plath was known to be sensitive, a bit of a perfectionist, and a popular straight A student (biography. com). These qualities led her to write poetry like it was second nature. But her father took an enormous toll on her well-being. He had been a strict man with authoritarian ttitudes; his German roots definitely took a part of these mannerisms. There relationship was emotionally detached and silent. It is not for certain that Plath is the narrator of Daddy but most readers assume that this is correct. She says, l never could talk to you. The tongue stuck in my Jaw. It stuck in a barb wire snare (Plath 24-26). The narrators tongue being stuck demonstrates that she could never talk to her father even if she wanted to. What is more troubling, her tongue got stuck in barbwire snare. Barbed wire snare was used in concentration camps preventing Jews from escaping. In the narrators case, it would rip her tongue to shreds. She was a Jew trapped in an uncomfortable, malicious area surrounded by her fathers deadly barbwire snare. Unfortunately, they could never resolve their issues because Otto Plath passed away on October 8, 1940 due to complications of diabetes (biography. com). Sylvia was only eight years old. It is daunting that her father died when she was only a little girl and he disturbed her that tremendously. The angst in Daddy not only discusses her feelings of being dominated by her Nazi-like father, but her unresolved desire to have perhaps worked things out with him. Her depression enormously kicked in during her years at Smith College, which was the beginning of Sylvias spiraling pattern. Plath encountered many ups and downs at doubt her talent as a poet resulting in stress, illness, and depression. This was an ongoing cycle. For example, she wrote and published in admired magazines like Seventeen, Harpers, and The Christian Science Monitor. She even landed an editorial position at Mademoiselle Magazine in New York City. But when she was denied from a course at Harvard Summer School, she spiraled down again and suffered from insomnia. Not long after this, her mother noticed scars on Sylvias legs, and Plath proclaimed that she in fact tried to kill herself (neuroticpoets. com). This was Just the beginning of an awful road ahead. No matter what the style of writing, Ms. Plath could exquisitely convey words into a form of art. During her years at Smith, she writes in her personal Journal, To annihilate the world by annihilation of ones self is the deluded height of desperate egoism. The simple way out of all the little brick dead ends we scratch our nails against. I want to kill myself, to escape from esponsibility, to crawl back abjectly into the womb (neuroticpoems. com). Her comparison to little brick dead ends triggers a clear imagery of her desperation, as well as her want to crawl back abjectly into the womb. It is outrageous that despite her poetic gift, she is so miserable. The electro shock therapy she received worsened her condition even more leading Plath to attempt to commit suicide in 1953; she took up to forty sleeping pills (neuroticpoets. om). Aurelia Plath, Sylvias mother, was not exactly the most supportive and loveable woman; she was an additional influence to her daughters troubles. Aurelia had her own problems too. Sylvia was not fond of her. She showed minor love and great enw towards Plaths talents and successes, almost like she wanted to live through her daughter. Plath states, What to do with her, with the hostility, undying, which I fee l for her? I want, as ever, to grab my life from out under her hot itchy hands. My life, my writing, my husband, my un- conceived baby'(salon. com). Plath felt that the potential positivity that could have occurred in her life was all taken away from Aurelia (or kept under her hot itchy hands). This was because of the way Aurelia raised Sylvia; she was a widow with two ids at a young age, but instead of staying strong and raising her children to the best of her ability, she provided a weak, insensitive mother fgure for Sylvia and Warren. In Plaths only novel, The Bell Jar, the relationship that the main character, Esther, has with her mother is extremely based on Plaths personal relationship with Aurelia. It is speculated that Plaths 1953 suicide attempt had a lot to do with her strained relationship with her mother. l lay in bed when I thought my mind was going blank forever and thought what a luxury it would be to kill her, to strangle her skinny eined throat which could never be big enough to protect me from the world. But I was too nice for murder. I tried to murder myself: to keep from being an embarrassment to the ones I loved and from living myself in a mindless hell Id kill her, so I killed myself (salon. com). Sylvia said. Plath horridly describes her mother having a skinny veined throat and claims that it would never be big enough to protect Sylvia from the world. She felt as if her own mother did not care about her. She had never received full attention and pure love from Aurelia, and that is hard for ny daughter, especially one without a father, to accept and cope with. Despite her successes, Sylvia is disturbingly obsessed with death, and it seemed like it would officially never leave her mind or poetry. The poem Lady Lazarus is a gloomy, to cope and survive. Comparing herself to a Jew like in Daddy, Plath focuses more on her personal suffering than the immoralities of her father. To begin the poem she writes, l have done it again. One year in every ten01 manage it (Plath 1-3). Plath does not lead up to what she is writing about. She immediately Jumps into her main topic: death. She has tried to end her life multiple times, one year in every ten. She does not state what it is, which only makes the first stanza creepier in a sense because the reader needs to fgure out that Plath is in fact describing death and suicide. A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, (Plath 4-5) Plath writes. This line is contradicting and gruesome because she is saying that at least her skin is bright and she believes it to be a miracle. When in reality, it was as bright as a Nazi lampshade. Nazis were believed to make lampshades out of Jewish peoples kin once they were murdered. The topic of death takes over her writing as well as her perso nal life, resulting in thoughts and literal attempts of suicide. Her melancholy poems are too brilliant for Sylvia to be this unhappy. Thankfully, the light briefly shined on Plath after this dark period, but her father still lurked and ate away at her well-being, not matter how successful her career was. She was awarded a $1 ,200 scholarship for her next year at Smith College and a scholarship for Harvard Summer School. Oddly, she died her hair to platinum blonde declaring a new look. She also received the Fulbright scholarship, sending her to Cambridge to start an exciting Journey to study literature in the fall. She published her first book of poetry, The Colossus in 1960 in England (neuroticpoets. com). The book was full of life and Plaths unconditional forte. She writes about her father in the poem, The Bee- Keepers Daughter. She used bees as the major theme because her father was an insect expert, particularly knowing an immense amount of information about bees. She writes, my heart under your foot, sister of a stone (Plath 7), explicating how distance he was with her. She also says, The queen bee marries the winter of your year (Plath 21) implying that Otto was more preoccupied with his bees than paying attention to his daughter. The book was widely popular in the United Kingdom, receiving many positive reviews. Her fathers memory was definitely present and consuming her mind. Despite this upcoming brief success, Plaths agony was still used as a poetic tool to string her along her ever-changing life. The metaphorical cuts and bruises did not mend, naturally having the speaker experience physiological gashes, or long-term effects. Sylvia underwent the Electra omplex by marrying Ted Hughes in 1956; he was a man who was very similar to her father (neuroticpoets. com). Her deep insecurities led her to not know any better; he was the only kind of man she was familiar with. Ted was an English writer that Plath met while studying in England (neuroticpoets. com). At first he swooped her off of her feet, but she soon realized what she had gotten herself into. l made a model of you, she says directed to her father, A man in black with a Meinkampf look And a love of the rack and the screw. And I said I do, I do. The man that she marries is like her ather; he is a dark, evil man in black and has the Meinkampf look (Plath 64-67). The most disturbing part of this stanza in Daddy is his love of the rack and the screw. The rack and the screw are both gruesome torture instruments that were used during Medieval times and the Inquisition period. She implies that like her father Plath was not literally tormented with these instruments, but to her the abuse by her husband was akin. In the New York Times Book Review, Denis Donoghue says, Plaths early poems, many of them, offered themselves for sacrifice, transmuting agony, hearts waste, into gestures and styles. Plath s agony, especially the agony she felt due to her strained marriage to Hughes, converted straight onto paper and into her unique style of writing. Plath dug an even deeper, darker hole to isolate herself in as her life kept deteriorating. She suffered from mental sickness and cried out for help; Hughes cruelly left her to fend for herself. She speculated that he was cheating on her. One day, his mistress called the house phone and Sylvia answered before Ted had a chance to (neuroticpoets. com). She was devastated. Their attempts to save the arriage failed, no matter how many times they attended counseling. Clearly, Sylvia was not a woman of strength. She was extremely sensitive and did not even take minor problems well, never mind her husband cheating on her. Her husband was aware of her condition but was disgustingly insensitive to it. Ted Hughes was speculated of telling Plath that he and his mistress, Assia, wished that Sylvia would kill herself because then he could sell the house. He also told her that he hated living with her and wished she would move out (neuoroticpoets. com). This was a sickening thing to say to somebody as fragile as Sylvia. Ted was in fact a man in black with a Meinkampf look. For once, Plath was courageous enough to officially separate from him. She unleashed her harsh frustration by writing more intense poetry. She expressively says in Daddy, If Ive killed one man, Ive killed two† (Plath 71). She metaphorically killed her father; he physically vanished from her life. And she clearly has separated from, or killed her husband of seven years too. She compares her husband to a vampire when she says The vampire who said he was you And drank my blood for a year, Seven years, if you want to know (Plath 72-74). Her husband has been draining her life away, Just as a vampire would drink its victims blood. Blood represents life physically; if there is no blood in the body, then one cannot survive. Spiritually, blood is pure and by having it sucked out, the narrator is losing the little purity she has left. Plath had lived a roller coaster life, and unfortunately, this particular roller coaster Just kept going down. Unlike any normal mother who cherishes and loves their children, Sylvias children were not very important to her, she was too caught up in her own problems to focus r genuinely care for them, which only adds more madness to Sylvias legitimate insanity. Cara Ellison disturbingly demonstrates Sylvias carelessness in her article, Sylvia Plath and l. She writes, l believe that Sylvia loved her children as things, but I also believe that she was prepared for them to die with her. I derive that from her poems. Particularly, the chilling, Death Co. of November 14, 1962 (caraellison. com). In Death and Co, Sylvia writes, The babies look in their hospital Icebox, a simple Frill at the neck, Then the flutings of their Ionian Death- owns, Then two little feet (14-19 Plath). When a child is born in the hospital, it is supposed to be a beautiful occurrence, as the parents gaze at them through the glass window from the observatory. But Sylvia describes this moment in such a harsh, unsettling manner when she explains that the baby is in an icebox wearing a talent. But this talent should not be applauded. Plath clearly has no emotion or interest for the miracle of life. She is too distracted with her own issues, but that does not give her the right to show hardly any love for her own offspring. Ellison is ight; Plath considered Frieda and Nicholas as things (caraellison. com), frill at the neck, (14-19 Plath) rather than her treasured children. Clearly, they were unimportant and when they were mentioned in her works, it was in a negative and daunting manner. Plath was not Just a careless and mean woman; she was literally mad and suffered from severe mental issues. She simply did not have the proper tools to be a good mother and serve as a fine model to her children. Sylvias daughter and son should have been the one thing to encourage Plath to halt her personal spiral. Sylvia underwent one of the last dark phases in her life and was dangerously close to completely giving up. This chilling time lead up to her most extreme and stimulating poetry yet, which would later be published in the book, Ariel. She was living alone in London with her two children, daughter Frieda and Nicholas, through a very cold winter. During this time, Sylvia wrote a series of poems, which some believe to be her best works. On her 30th birthday, she wrote, Poppies in October (neuroticpoets. com). It is shorter than most of her poems, with stimulating phrasing and vivid imagery. The title is striking and raises curiosity because poppy flowers cannot bloom in the fall. It is almost like Plath feels out of season Just as poppies are during autumn. She feels out of place, and is questioning her being; she is suffering through a major downfall. Poppies in October is not as harsh and cruel as her other poetry, instead having a blue and humble ambiance to it. Throughout this period, she also composed Getting There. It depicts a Journey that Plath is taking to a literal destination, but it is her personal Journey to become at peace with herself. The carriages rock, they are cradles. And l, stepping from this skin00f old bandages, boredoms, old faces (Path 64-66). Sylvia is stepping out from her body, obtaining detachment and liberation. The last line states, Step up to you from the black car of Lethe, Pure as a baby (Plath 67-68). She has reached her destination. According to Greek mythology, Lethe is the river of forgetfulness. The dead drank from the river when they arrived in the underworld. Sylvia is no longer a woman who lashes out, is violent, or forceful. She Just wants to forget everything that she has experienced in the past, and become one with God. Her soul is vacant mptied. She does not have any strength or might left in her and is better off drinking the water from Lethe. Sylvia Plath once said, l talk to God but the sky is empty. She had lost hope in her husband, in her father, in herself, and now in God himself. Universally, God is always the one essence that will always comfort and guide one in a time of need. But Plath has even given up on one of the most holy fgures to exist. The sky is empty (goodreads. com), or in other words, Sylvias Being is rapidly disintegrating and is close to becoming completely vacant. There isnt a cloud or beam of sunshine left n the sky pushing her to go on. Sadly, on February 11, 1963, Sylvia Plath killed herself with cooking gas (neuroticpoets. com). She was only thirty years old. She left this world too young, along with leaving her two young children behind. Her severe father and insensitive mother emotionally damaged Sylvia from the very beginning, starting her wild spiral and leaving Plath to feel weak and deserted, which caused Sylvia to be be forgotten, but should one feel guilty while reading Plaths poetry, knowing that her cruel personal battles resulted in such superb work? This idea is bittersweet and ortrays an immense amount of irony. Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well, (Plath 43-45) Plath writes in Lady Lazarus. Clearly, Sylvia Plath was a complex and outrageous woman considering she described death as an art, but devotees of the arts cannot help but be fascinated and drawn by her remarkable poetry. Plath suffered from manic-depression. It is a complex disorder, classified as a mental illness causing extreme mood swings and irrational behavior. The symptoms of this condition can be looked down upon, but unintentionally, Sylvias broken, nhappy, and self-destructed complexity can be embraced in a sense because it is what makes her poetic gold valued today.