Poem Analysis - The Bull Of Bendylaw

An Unstoppable Force: Introduction

Sylvia Plath's "The Bull Of Bendylaw" is a short, potent fable about the overwhelming power of nature and the futility of attempts to control it. The poem begins with a sense of impending doom, quickly escalating into chaotic destruction as a bull-like sea breaches the confines of a royal estate. The tone is initially one of regal composure, which is shattered by the raw energy of the natural world. The poem concludes with a stark acknowledgement of nature's victory, leaving behind a sense of irreversible loss.

The Crushing of Order: Themes of Power and Control

One of the poem's central themes is the fragility of human power in the face of nature's might. The king and queen, symbols of authority and control, are rendered impotent as the "bull-snouted sea" smashes through their defenses. Their kingdom, a "tidy acre," is easily consumed by the sea, highlighting the limitations of even the most meticulously maintained order when confronted by a force of nature. This power dynamic suggests that human endeavors, however grand, are ultimately vulnerable to the unpredictable and overwhelming forces of the natural world.

Unleashed Chaos: The Symbolism of the Bull

The bull serves as a powerful symbol of untamed natural energy. The sea, transformed into a "bull-snouted sea," is no longer the "orderly" entity it once was. Its bull-like qualities – "four horny bull-feet" and a destructive surge – represent primal, uncontrolled chaos. The fact that it cannot be "stayed by a daisy chain / Nor by any learned man" further reinforces the idea that rational thought and superficial beauty are ineffective against the raw power that the bull embodies. The bull tramples over the established order, swallowing symbols of royalty ("the royal rose") and taking control of the "king's highway."

A Question of Limits: Interpretation and Ambiguity

The imagery of the "black bull bellowed before the sea" creates an interesting paradox. Is the bull the sea itself, or is it an omen, a harbinger of the sea's destructive power? This ambiguity contributes to the poem's unsettling effect. It is possible to interpret the black bull as the initial warning that the royal figures failed to heed. The poem raises questions about the limits of control and the dangers of ignoring the signals of a potentially destructive force. Could the disaster have been averted had they recognized the bull's bellow as a legitimate threat?

A Lost Kingdom: Conclusion

"The Bull Of Bendylaw" is a concise and evocative depiction of nature's supremacy over human ambition. Through vivid imagery and stark symbolism, Plath crafts a narrative of destruction where the controlled environment of a kingdom is overwhelmed by the chaotic force of a sea transformed into a bull. The poem ultimately suggests that the pursuit of order and control is a futile endeavor when pitted against the untamed power of the natural world, leaving behind a landscape of irreversible loss and the unsettling feeling that some forces are simply too powerful to be contained.