Poem Analysis - A Birthday Present

Sylvia Plath's "A Birthday Present" is a chilling exploration of suicidal ideation, cloaked in the guise of a birthday wish. The poem's tone is a blend of desperate anticipation and morbid fascination, creating a palpable sense of unease. It is as though the speaker is both drawn to and terrified of the "present" she so ardently desires. This tension builds throughout the poem, culminating in a plea for release, not through celebration, but through oblivion. The speaker is experiencing a shift from merely contemplating this death wish to a state of readiness.

A Yearning for Oblivion: The Central Theme

The most prominent theme in "A Birthday Present" is the speaker's profound yearning for death. This isn't presented as a simple desire to end pain, but as a complex and even romanticized fascination. The "present" behind the veil is clearly a metaphor for death, something the speaker simultaneously fears and craves. The lines "I would have killed myself gladly that time any possible way. / Now there are these veils..." suggest a past attempt, and the present poem is an escalation towards a final surrender. The poem isn't just about wanting to die, it is about craving that experience.

Veiled Symbolism: Unpacking the Present and the Veil

The central symbols in the poem are the "present" and the "veil." The "present," as mentioned earlier, represents death. It's described as "shimmering," possessing an almost alluring quality. The speaker oscillates between fearing its potential ugliness and anticipating its beauty. This ambiguity highlights the dual nature of death, both terrifying and potentially liberating. The "veil" symbolizes the barrier between life and death, or perhaps the speaker's current state of mental and emotional detachment. The constant plea to "let down the veil" is a plea to remove that barrier, to embrace the "present" of death. The veil being comprised of “diaphanous satins of a January window / White as babies’ bedding and glittering with dead breath” uses a metaphor of new beginnings and innocence, yet taints it with the idea of death.

The "You": An Accusation of Prolonged Suffering

The poem is addressed to a "you," an ambiguous figure who holds the power to grant the speaker her "birthday present." This "you" could be interpreted as God, fate, society, or even a part of the speaker's own psyche. The speaker accuses this "you" of deliberately withholding death, of prolonging her suffering. The lines "Must you kill what you can?" and "Is it impossible for you to let something go and have it go whole?" express a deep sense of resentment and betrayal. This "you" is portrayed as a controlling force, unwilling to release the speaker from her torment. The speaker’s view of this entity is that they enjoy causing suffering to others and it is unlikely they will let the speaker die easily.

Carbon Monoxide Clouds: A Unique Interpretation

The image of "clouds like cotton" that are actually "carbon monoxide" is particularly striking. This image can be viewed as a metaphor for the deceptive nature of suicidal thoughts. They may appear soft and comforting ("like cotton"), offering a seemingly gentle escape, but in reality, they are deadly ("carbon monoxide"). The speaker is consciously aware of the danger, yet she willingly breathes them in, highlighting the seductive pull of death. Is Plath suggesting that society and life are poisoning the speaker just as carbon monoxide poisons the body, and that death offers a reprieve?

A Final Wish: Nobility in Oblivion

"A Birthday Present" is a powerful and disturbing exploration of the allure of death. It reveals a mind grappling with intense suffering and a desperate longing for release. The poem’s strength lies in its raw honesty and its vivid imagery, which creates a haunting portrait of a soul on the brink. The final image of the "knife not carve, but enter / Pure and clean as the cry of a baby," suggests that the speaker envisions death as a form of rebirth, a return to innocence and peace. The wish is not just for death, but for a dignified and meaningful end to her suffering. The poem ultimately leaves the reader with a sense of profound sadness and a lingering question about the speaker's ultimate fate.