Table of Contents

Daddy Poem Summary line by line

Daddy is a powerful and emotionally charged poem written by Sylvia Plath. It explores identity, emotional tragedy, and the nuanced dynamics between dads and daughters. Written in a confessional style, the poem is sometimes read as a mirror of Plath’s turbulent marriage to poet Ted Hughes and her personal battles with her father, Otto Plath.

Daddy Poem Summary

“You do not do, you do not do”

The tone of estrangement or absence is established early in the poem by the speaker’s father’s repeated claims that he accomplishes nothing.

“Any more, black shoe”

The reference to a “black shoe” conjures up a specific picture and alludes to a departure or loss.

“In which I have lived like a foot”

Living “like a foot” is a metaphor that suggests captivity or imprisonment.

“For thirty years, poor and white,”

The speaker talks of a protracted time of deprivation, poverty, and possibly psychological distress.

“Barely daring to breathe or Achoo.”

The inability to breathe or speak indicates a life that is restricted, possibly because of oppression or terror.

“Daddy, I have had to kill you.”

The speaker announces a figurative act of killing her father, suggesting a symbolic liberation from a dominating or oppressive figure.

“You died before I had time—”

The speaker implies that her father’s influence or control persisted even after his physical death, limiting her own development.

“Marble-heavy, a bag full of God,”

The use of “marble-heavy” and “a bag full of God” describes the weight and imposing nature of the father’s influence, possibly alluding to authority or a domineering presence.

“Ghastly statue with one gray toe”

The imagery of a “ghastly statue” with a “gray toe” evokes a lifeless and foreboding image.

“Big as a Frisco seal”

The comparison to a seal adds to the sense of lifelessness and suggests a seal on the speaker’s own life or freedom.

“And a head in the freakish Atlantic”

The mention of the “freakish Atlantic” may symbolize emotional turmoil or the vastness of the speaker’s inner struggles.

“Where it pours bean green over blue”

The vivid image of green beans pouring over blue suggests a surreal or unnatural landscape, possibly representing the impact of the father’s presence on the speaker’s world.

“In the waters off beautiful Nauset.”

The reference to Nauset, a location on Cape Cod, adds a specific geographical element, possibly tying the poem to real-life locations associated with Plath’s experiences.

“I used to pray to recover you.”

The speaker acknowledges a past desire to “recover” or revive the father, indicating a complex and conflicted relationship.

“Ach, du.”

The German phrase “Ach, du” translates to “Oh, you” and adds a layer of personal and cultural significance, possibly reflecting the father’s German background.

“In the German tongue, in the Polish town”

The poem introduces the father’s cultural background, providing additional context to the speaker’s identity and family history.

“Scraped flat by the roller”

The description of being “scraped flat by the roller” conveys a sense of oppression or erasure.

“Of wars, wars, wars.”

The repetition of “wars” emphasizes the father’s involvement in historical conflicts, possibly alluding to World War II and its impact on the family.

“But the name of the town is common.”

The speaker downplays the significance of the father’s background, suggesting a sense of disillusionment or resentment.

“My Polack friend”

The use of the term “Polack” may carry derogatory connotations, emphasizing the speaker’s complex feelings toward her father.

“Says there are a dozen or two.”

The Polack friend suggests that there are many towns with similar names, diminishing the uniqueness of the father’s origin.

“So I never could tell where you”

The uncertainty about the father’s origin contributes to the speaker’s sense of confusion and disconnection.

“Put your foot, your root,”

The mention of “foot” and “root” suggests the father’s influence and roots, possibly tied to heritage or identity.

“I never could talk to you.”

The speaker laments an inability to communicate with her father, highlighting a significant emotional barrier.

“The tongue stuck in my jaw.”

The physical image of the tongue stuck in the jaw suggests a speech impediment or the stifling of expression.

“It stuck in a barb wire snare.”

The use of “barb wire snare” intensifies the imagery of entrapment or restriction.

“Ich, ich, ich, ich,”

The repetition of “ich” (German for “I”) emphasizes a self-centered or self-referential quality, possibly alluding to the father’s dominating presence.

“I could hardly speak.”

The difficulty in speaking suggests the emotional weight and constraint imposed by the father.

“I thought every German was you.”

The speaker’s association of all Germans with her father reflects a distorted perception and generalization.

“And the language obscene”

The mention of an obscene language suggests a toxic or abusive communication style.

“An engine, an engine”

The repetition of “an engine” introduces a metaphorical engine, possibly representing the father’s forceful and overpowering nature.

“Chuffing me off like a Jew.”

The comparison to a Jew being chuffed off suggests discrimination or persecution, adding a dark historical and cultural layer.

“A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.”

The mention of concentration camps intensifies the historical and cultural references, emphasizing the severity of the speaker’s emotional torment.

“I began to talk like a Jew.”

The speaker adopts the language or speech patterns associated with Jewish identity, possibly as a coping mechanism or a reaction to trauma.

“I think I may well be a Jew.”

The speaker’s identification as a Jew reflects a complex relationship with identity and a blurring of cultural boundaries.

“The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna”

The mention of the Tyrol and Vienna adds geographical elements, possibly alluding to the father’s background and the broader European context.

“Are not very pure or true.”

The speaker challenges the perceived purity or truth associated with these cultural references, questioning their authenticity.

“With my gypsy ancestress and my weird luck”

The speaker introduces a gypsy ancestress, connecting to a marginalized or unconventional lineage.

“And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack”

The repetition of “Taroc pack” suggests an emphasis on fortune-telling or divination, possibly reflecting the speaker’s attempt to navigate her own destiny.

“I may be a bit of a Jew.”

The speaker reiterates her identification as “a bit of a Jew,” reinforcing the complex blending of identities.

“I have always been scared of you,”

The speaker admits to a long-standing fear of her father, emphasizing the emotional impact of his presence.

“With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.”

The mention of the Luftwaffe (German air force) and “gobbledygoo” adds militaristic and nonsensical elements, possibly representing the father’s intimidating and confusing nature.

“And your neat mustache”

The reference to a “neat mustache” invokes an image associated with authority figures, possibly reflecting the father’s domineering presence.

“And your Aryan eye, bright blue.”

The mention of an “Aryan eye, bright blue” continues the exploration of identity and racial themes, invoking historical associations.

“Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You—”

The repetition of “panzer-man” references a tank or armored vehicle, introducing militaristic imagery.

“Not God but a swastika”

The rejection of God in favor of a swastika reflects a provocative and defiant stance, challenging conventional notions of authority.

“So black no sky could squeak through.”

The darkness described is impenetrable, emphasizing a sense of suffocation or suppression.

“Every woman adores a Fascist,”

The speaker makes a provocative statement, challenging societal expectations or norms related to attraction.

“The boot in the face, the brute”

The harsh imagery of a boot in the face and the term “brute” suggests violence and oppression.

“Brute heart of a brute like you.”

The repetition of “brute” underscores the dehumanizing characterization of the addressed figure.

“You stand at the blackboard, daddy,”

The poem shifts to addressing a figure as “daddy,” introducing a more personal and intimate tone.

“In the picture I have of you,”

The speaker refers to a mental image of the addressed figure, highlighting the role of memory and perception.

“A cleft in your chin instead of your foot”

The shift from a “cleft in your chin” to the earlier image of the speaker’s foot suggests an inversion or transformation.

“But no less a devil for that, no not”

The acknowledgment of devilish qualities challenges conventional notions of good and evil.

“Any less the black man who”

The introduction of the “black man” adds racial dimensions to the poem, complicating the narrative.

“Bit my pretty red heart in two.”

The imagery of the “black man” biting the speaker’s heart in two introduces a visceral and violent image, symbolizing emotional pain.

“I was ten when they buried you.”

The speaker mentions a significant age (ten) in relation to the burial of the addressed figure, suggesting an early encounter with mortality.

“At twenty I tried to die”

The speaker references a suicide attempt at the age of twenty, highlighting a pivotal moment in her life.

“And get back, back, back to you.”

The desire to “get back” suggests a complex emotional attachment or connection to the addressed figure.

“I thought even the bones would do.”

The speaker contemplates a return to the addressed figure even in death, emphasizing the strength of the emotional bond.

“But they pulled me out of the sack,”

The mention of being pulled out of a sack suggests confinement or a suffocating situation.

“And they stuck me together with glue.”

The imagery of being stuck together with glue introduces a sense of fragmentation and attempted repair.

“I made a model of you,”

The speaker engages in a creative act of making a model, possibly as a means of coping or processing emotions.

“A man in black with a Meinkampf look”

The description of the model introduces an ominous figure reminiscent of the historical context of “Mein Kampf.”

“And a love of the rack and the screw.”

The reference to the rack and the screw suggests torture or punishment, adding to the disturbing nature of the image.

“And I said I do, I do.”

The repetition of “I do” may allude to a sense of compliance or submission, possibly linked to societal expectations.

“So daddy, I’m finally through.”

The speaker declares completion, suggesting a resolution or conclusion to a process.

“The black telephone’s off at the root,”

The metaphor of the black telephone being “off at the root” implies a disconnection or breakdown in communication.

“The voices just can’t worm through.”

The inability of voices to “worm through” emphasizes a sense of isolation or a barrier to communication.

“If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two—”

The admission of killing one man and then two suggests a multiplication of guilt or a cascade of consequences.

“The vampire who said he was you”

The introduction of the vampire figure complicates the narrative, adding layers of symbolism and ambiguity.

“And drank my blood for a year,”

The imagery of drinking blood reinforces the vampiric motif, possibly symbolizing a parasitic relationship.

“Seven years, if you want to know.”

The specific duration emphasizes the prolonged nature of this metaphorical vampiric relationship.

“Daddy, you can lie back now.”

The command to “lie back” suggests a surrender or cessation of struggle.

“There’s a stake in your fat black heart”

The image of a stake in the heart alludes to vampire lore and introduces an element of retribution or punishment.

“And the villagers never liked you.”

The reference to villagers not liking the addressed figure adds a societal dimension, hinting at societal judgment or rejection.

“They are dancing and stamping on you.”

The vivid image of villagers dancing and stamping on the figure implies a collective response to perceived wrongdoing.

“They always knew it was you.”

The assertion that “they always knew it was you” suggests a sense of inevitability or recognition of guilt.

“Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.”

The repetition of “Daddy” followed by a declaration of being through indicates a decisive and possibly cathartic moment of finality.

Also Read-

Daddy Poem

You do not do, you do not do

Any more, black shoe

In which I have lived like a foot

For thirty years, poor and white,

Barely daring to breathe or Achoo.

Daddy, I have had to kill you.

You died before I had time——

Marble-heavy, a bag full of God,

Ghastly statue with one gray toe

Big as a Frisco seal

And a head in the freakish Atlantic

Where it pours bean green over blue

In the waters off beautiful Nauset.

I used to pray to recover you.

Ach, du.

In the German tongue, in the Polish town

Scraped flat by the roller

Of wars, wars, wars.

But the name of the town is common.

My Polack friend

Says there are a dozen or two.

So I never could tell where you

Put your foot, your root,

I never could talk to you.

The tongue stuck in my jaw.

It stuck in a barb wire snare.

Ich, ich, ich, ich,

I could hardly speak.

I thought every German was you.

And the language obscene

An engine, an engine

Chuffing me off like a Jew.

A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.

I began to talk like a Jew.

I think I may well be a Jew.

The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna

Are not very pure or true.

With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck

And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack

I may be a bit of a Jew.

I have always been scared of you,

With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo.

And your neat mustache

And your Aryan eye, bright blue.

Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You——

Not God but a swastika

So black no sky could squeak through.

Every woman adores a Fascist,

The boot in the face, the brute

Brute heart of a brute like you.

You stand at the blackboard, daddy,

In the picture I have of you,

A cleft in your chin instead of your foot

But no less a devil for that, no not

Any less the black man who

Bit my pretty red heart in two.

I was ten when they buried you.

At twenty I tried to die

And get back, back, back to you.

I thought even the bones would do.

But they pulled me out of the sack,

And they stuck me together with glue.

And then I knew what to do.

I made a model of you,

A man in black with a Meinkampf look

And a love of the rack and the screw.

And I said I do, I do.

So daddy, I’m finally through.

The black telephone’s off at the root,

The voices just can’t worm through.

If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two——

The vampire who said he was you

And drank my blood for a year,

Seven years, if you want to know.

Daddy, you can lie back now.

There’s a stake in your fat black heart

And the villagers never liked you.

They are dancing and stamping on you.

They always knew it was you.

Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.

Conclusion

In Sylvia Plath’s poem “Daddy,” a poignant and emotionally charged exploration unfolds, delving into the intricate layers of the speaker’s relationship with her father. Through vivid imagery, historical references, and a confessional tone, Plath crafts a narrative that tackles themes of trauma, identity, and societal expectations. The poem captures the complexities of the speaker’s emotions, from fear and oppression to a final declaration of liberation and resolution. The use of powerful metaphors, including the vampiric figure and historical references to Nazi Germany, adds depth and symbolism to the poem. “Daddy” stands as a compelling piece that invites readers to reflect on the enduring impact of parental influences and the journey toward self-discovery and autonomy.

FAQ:

1. How does Plath use the vampiric imagery in “Daddy”?

The vampiric imagery introduces a metaphorical layer, symbolizing a parasitic and draining relationship. The figure of the vampire, associated with the father, suggests emotional exploitation and a sense of being consumed. This adds a dark and provocative element to the poem’s exploration of familial dynamics.

2. Why does the speaker address her father as “Daddy” throughout the poem?

The repeated use of “Daddy” conveys a mix of familiarity, intimacy, and possibly a childlike vulnerability. The choice of this address underscores the complex emotions tied to the father-daughter relationship, ranging from fear and dependence to a final assertion of independence.

3. What does the speaker mean by “I have always been scared of you” in the poem?

This line encapsulates the pervasive fear and emotional impact of the father on the speaker. It suggests a longstanding and deep-seated anxiety, reflecting the enduring influence of the father figure on the speaker’s psyche.

4. How does the poem address issues of identity and heritage?

“Daddy” explores the speaker’s struggle with identity, including her attempts to reconcile her heritage and cultural background. The references to Germany, the German language, and the father’s Aryan characteristics contribute to a complex examination of identity and its intersection with familial and cultural influences.