The Night Dances by Sylvia Plath

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

• Nicholas was born Jan 1962
• Poem was written Dec 1962 in the flat at Fitzroy Avenue
• Nicholas was almost a year old and had begun waking in his cot at night and performing little movements as if dancing.

Question 2

Subject

Answer 2

The speaker watches as her baby dances in his cot and ponders emotionally on the future of her child having to grow up and face the cruel world that we live in.

Question 3

Form and Structure

Answer 3

• Apostrophe as it is addressed to a person who does not speak back.
• Brief couplets and use of frequent spondaic metre produces the effect of the brevity and fragility of love.

Question 4

Language Techniques

Answer 4

Symbolism

• Nicholas’ dances are symbols and reminders of the brief and fleeting nature of love.
• They are beautiful gifts of innocence to the damaged poet as he sleeps in his cot.
• They are reminders that beautiful things in life are fleeting, tender things pass too quickly.

Imagery of light/fragility

• repetition of “flakes”, points to the fact that tenderness passes too quickly and is replaced by a more permanent pain.
• Nature imagery suggests a hope of re-birth and mother-child imagery offers hope in the redeeming power of love.