Nick and Candlestick — Sylvia Plath — THEME
The poem Nick and the Candlestick is a wonderful example of Plath’s style as a confessional poet. The poem is directly addressed to her son Nicholas Hughes. The very title of the poem suggests a tone of simplicity. The poem in its plot also follows the same idea as it has a crystal clear plot. However, the poem is hovered with opaque phrases and startling imageries. In this poem, she describes what early motherhood is like and uses figurative language to make the experience more vivid. The poem has two parts and each is loaded with a contrasting tone. The poem is written in dramatic monologue. The poet here speaks about motherhood and the purpose of life. These two things are tied together in this poem. This becomes quite clear towards the end in which Plath states that her child is her reason for being in the world. He makes sense of the world for her. Although these days of early motherhood are difficult for her, she is trying to navigate them to the best of her ability even when t