Poem Analysis - By Candlelight

Introduction: A World Enclosed

Sylvia Plath's "By Candlelight" paints a vivid picture of intimacy and anxiety within the confines of a dark winter night. The poem creates a world scaled down to the warmth of a single candle, where love and vulnerability intertwine with a palpable sense of dread. The tone is initially tender, addressing a "small love," but it quickly darkens as the imagery evokes a sense of confinement and threat. This shift reflects a struggle to find comfort and security in a world pressing in with unseen dangers.

Themes of Love and Vulnerability

One of the central themes is the delicate balance between love and vulnerability. The opening lines establish an intimate setting, referring to the addressee as "small love," suggesting a precious and fragile connection. Holding this "small love" on her arm in the darkness emphasizes a protective instinct, but also reveals a shared vulnerability. The phrase "it is very late" and the "dull bells" create a sense of isolation, as if they are alone against the world. The candlelight, while providing warmth, also casts exaggerated shadows, symbolizing the way fear can amplify threats to their love.

The All-Encompassing Darkness

The poem powerfully explores the theme of isolation and fear of the outside world. The “sack of black! It is everywhere, tight, tight!” embodies the oppressive force of darkness, representing external threats and anxieties. The sky being "kept at bay" by the candlelight reveals a desperate attempt to ward off these unseen dangers. The "cold floor" and "Indian carpet" suggest an enclosed, almost claustrophobic space, heightening the sense of being trapped and surrounded by an overwhelming darkness.

Symbolic Candlelight and the Brass Atlas

Recurring symbols and vivid images enrich the poem's message. The candle itself is a potent symbol of hope and fragile existence, flickering against the encroaching darkness. The image of the candle refusing to "bloom at all," snuffling its "bud," highlights the difficulty in maintaining hope in the face of adversity. The "brassy Atlas," burdened with his "white pillar" of light, represents a figure struggling to hold back the darkness, an heirloom passed down, perhaps, as a symbol of endurance. The "five brass cannonballs" could symbolize burdens of the past, or perhaps even the potential for strength, but also a poignant lack of the domestic comforts of "child" or "wife". Their purpose is open to interpretation, suggesting both defense and futility: "To juggle with, my love, when the sky falls." Is this a genuine offer of comfort, or a sarcastic acknowledgement of the powerlessness of such objects against such a threat?

Conclusion: Enduring in the Face of the Void

"By Candlelight" is a haunting exploration of love, fear, and the human condition. Plath uses evocative imagery and symbolism to create a world where intimacy is both a source of comfort and a reminder of vulnerability. The poem suggests that in the face of overwhelming darkness and anxiety, human connection and fragile hope, like the flickering candlelight, are all we have to hold onto. The poem leaves the reader with a sense of unease, but also a sense of the enduring power of love, even in the most precarious of circumstances.