Poem Analysis - Kindness

A Complex Portrait of Kindness

Sylvia Plath's "Kindness" initially presents a seemingly straightforward image of benevolence, with Kindness personified as a comforting presence. However, the poem quickly reveals a more complicated and unsettling undercurrent. The tone shifts from an almost childlike admiration to a sense of anxiety and resignation. This complexity arises from the juxtaposition of comforting imagery with hints of violence and suppressed emotion, creating a portrait of kindness that is both alluring and potentially suffocating.

The Bitter Pill of Sentimentality

One of the central themes of the poem is the ambivalence towards kindness itself. Initially, kindness is portrayed as a soothing force, "gliding" and filling the house with smiles. The images of "blue and red jewels" and "sugar" suggest a superficial, almost saccharine, form of comfort. However, this sweetness feels artificial and ultimately insufficient to address deeper pain. The line "Sugar can cure everything, so Kindness says" reveals the limitations of this simplistic approach. Plath hints at a deeper need than what can be solved by mere sweetness, suggesting that genuine healing requires more than superficial gestures.

Fragility, Loss, and Captivity

The poem also explores themes of fragility and potential loss, symbolized by the "Japanese silks, desperate butterflies" that "May be pinned any minute, anesthetized." This vivid image represents the speaker's vulnerability and the ever-present threat of being captured or controlled. The butterflies, symbols of beauty and transformation, are rendered "desperate" and face the possibility of being "anesthetized," suggesting a suppression of spirit or creativity. This image hints at the speaker's fear of losing herself or her artistic voice, even under the guise of kindness.

The Ambiguity of Gifts

The final stanza introduces the symbolism of gifts, particularly the "cup of tea," "two children," and "two roses." The tea, "wreathed in steam," offers a moment of solace, but the preceding line, "The blood jet is poetry, / There is no stopping it," suggests a violent, uncontrollable creative force that cannot be soothed by simple comforts. The gift of "two children" and "two roses" is particularly ambiguous. While children and roses are traditionally symbols of love and beauty, their presentation here feels almost obligatory, a burden rather than a genuine offering. One interpretation might be the suggestion that in giving life (children) one simultaneously hands them a life headed for similar struggles to the mother (roses). The inherent duality of the gift of life and the burden of that gift.

A Resigned Acceptance

In conclusion, "Kindness" is not a simple celebration of benevolence. Instead, it offers a nuanced and unsettling portrayal of the complex relationship between kindness and suffering. The poem's shifting tone, vivid imagery, and ambiguous symbols reveal a sense of anxiety, vulnerability, and resignation. Ultimately, the poem suggests that while kindness may offer temporary solace, it cannot fully address the deeper wounds of the human experience and may even serve as a form of control or suppression. The final image of the speaker receiving the gifts of children and roses leaves the reader with a lingering question: is this a moment of genuine comfort, or a surrender to a fate that is both beautiful and potentially tragic?