The Applicant

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1963

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Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Further Reading & Resources

Related Poems

“Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath (1965)

One of Plath’s most famous poems, this powerful free-verse poem explores many themes Plath obsessed over in her poetry, including suicide, personal pain, and the Holocaust. In the poem, Plath discusses her many suicide attempts and connects herself to the biblical character Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. The poem features many of the same stylistic techniques Plath uses in “The Applicant,” including free verse with heavy emphasis on repetition and internal rhyme as well as irony.

“The Jailor” by Sylvia Plath (1962)

In this horror poem, Plath writes about the experience of marriage by focusing on things like domestic abuse and marital rape. The poem is extremely dark and graphic. It is another example of Plath’s Confessional style and her poetic technique, as she uses extended metaphor and wordplay to create moments of tense sarcasm and to present a dark and rundown tone. The poem, perhaps better than any historical article, presents Plath’s feelings about being married to Hughes.

“Mushrooms” by Sylvia Plath (1960)

In this metaphorical poem, Plath describes mushrooms. The mushrooms represent the undervalued, overlooked, and forgotten people of society, and for this reason, readers have interpreted it as a feminist poem. The poem describes the way mushrooms grow and multiply in the darkness, and it ends with the declaration that “We shall by morning / Inherit the earth” (Lines 31-32). The poem has a whimsical rhythm similar to a nursery rhyme, which is a style many critics have noted in Plath’s poetry. This makes sense, considering Plath loved nursery rhymes as a child.

Further Literary Resources

“Sylvia Plath: Will the Poet Always Be Defined by Her Death?” by Lillian Crawford (2021)

In this article, Crawford critiques the way society has defined Plath by her suicide and mental health. She critiques the way female writers who die by suicide are defined by that action while male writers who die by suicide are looked at in more romantic ways. She discusses the history of Plath’s myth, including the publishing of her letters in the 1970s. She also recommends a number of biographies that provide a more complex and nuanced picture of the poet than some of the more well-known, older books out there.

“Sylvia Plath” by Anemona Hartocollis (n.d.)

In this obituary, Hartocollis recounts Plath’s life and death. She discusses the way Plath’s death was reported and the biographical lead up to her death, including her fallout with Hughes and the rejection of her novel The Bell Jar by American publishers. Hartocollis also discusses the way Plath achieved fame and notoriety after her death. The article is part of an effort by The New York Times to provide more context to the lives of people who have often been overlooked by the paper’s obituary section.

“Sylvia Plath: Reflections on Her Legacy” by Jeanette Winterson, et al. (2013)

This article provides a number of reflections about Plath’s work and life from the perspective of a number of writers and poets. The reflections from these women provide a powerful portrait of Plath’s legacy and impact on future generations. These writers discuss her novel, her poetry, and the time that Plath lived in. The article offers excellent insight into the power of Plath’s writing and the impact her life has had on so many people.