Poem Analysis - Snakecharmer

A World Conjured: Introduction to Plath's Snakecharmer

Sylvia Plath's "Snakecharmer" is a mesmerizing exploration of creation and control, depicted through the image of a snakecharmer who conjures an entire world from his music. The poem begins with a sense of ancient power and the potential for creation, then shifts to one of both awe and unease as the created reality becomes overwhelmingly serpentine. The tone is initially reverent, almost mystical, before growing more anxious and finally settling into a kind of quiet resignation at the end. The snakecharmer's power is undeniable, yet the created world seems to trap him as much as it obeys him.

The Power of Creation and the Artist's Role

One of the central themes in "Snakecharmer" is the **power of creation** itself. The poem directly likens the snakecharmer's act to the creation of the world ("As the gods began one world, and man another"). He isn't simply charming snakes; he is bringing an entire ecosystem, a world of "sways and coilings," into existence through his music. This act reflects the **artist's role** in shaping reality through imagination and skill. The pipe acts as an instrument of immense power, capable of transforming "green waters" into a living, breathing world. This transformation highlights the transformative capabilities of art.

Control and Confinement in a Serpentine World

Another prominent theme is the relationship between **control and confinement**. The snakecharmer appears to be in control, "ruling the writhings" of his creation. However, he also seems trapped within it. "Nothing but snakes / Is visible," suggesting a loss of perspective and a kind of imprisonment within his own making. The lines "snake-scales have become / Leaf, become eyelid; snake-bodies, bough, breast / Of tree and human" indicate that the world has been completely overtaken by snakes. The snakecharmer's power comes at the cost of being consumed by his own creation. This creates a tension between the apparent mastery and the underlying lack of freedom.

Snakes: Symbols of Transformation and Primordial Energy

The snake serves as a powerful **symbol** of transformation, primordial energy, and perhaps even the subconscious mind. In many cultures, snakes are associated with both creation and destruction. Here, they embody a fluid, ever-changing force, "twisting... out of Eden's navel." This image connects the snake to the original act of creation, but with a more ambiguous and potentially dangerous connotation than the traditional biblical view. The transformation of everything into snake-like forms suggests the overwhelming power of this primal force, capable of reshaping reality itself. The snake rooted bottom of his mind could be interpreted as a look into his subconscious, where all the building blocks for creation come from.

The Inevitable Dissolution of Creation: A Final Insight

In conclusion, "Snakecharmer" is a complex meditation on the act of creation, the power and limitations of the artist, and the forces that shape reality. The poem explores the themes of creation, control, and confinement, using vivid imagery and symbolism, particularly the snake, to convey its message. The final dissolution of the snake world back into "green waters" suggests the impermanence of all creation and the eventual return to a state of undifferentiated potential. The snakecharmer's "moony eye" being "lids" at the end is a point of ambiguity. Is he at peace with his creation coming to an end, or is he saddened at its passing? Perhaps Plath is posing the question that the end of anything we create is just as difficult as the start.