Poetry is a meaningful artistic expression through the illustration of fascinating words and their hidden implications used to reflect the meaning of life. Sylvia Plath and Charlotte Gilman were both prolific poets who left their mark on the world of poetry and literature. Both “Kindness” by Sylvia Plath and “Wedded Bliss” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman represent a harsh reality through the depiction of irony which could emphasize the significance of the external world between people and nature. In “Kindness,” Plath describes the truth of life by demonstrating the meaning of kindness as a powerful opposition to death. He uses irony in several places in his poem, including the title, to bring out a distorted and superficial expression of what he is going through. Meanwhile, Gilman focuses on portraying animal marriage as revealing the absurdity due to their discrepancies. Thus, both authors embody the theme of social expectations and the inability of their realization, but Plath glorifies kindness and perceives it through death, and Gilman portrays love through marriage as the impossibility of coexistence in the animal kingdom . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In “Kindness,” Plath focuses on a profound effect of kindness and its considerable role in every individual's life. From the beginning, the reader notices that the author praises kindness as an integral part of her life as she seems to possess some inexplicable privileges and superiorities. However, the speaker applies irony when she tries to imagine the image of kindness including the title which might bring out a distorted and superficial expression of what she is going through. Additionally, the words “Kindness slides through my house./ Lady kindness, you are so kind!” show that the speaker personifies kindness and perceives her as a beautiful woman (Platte 1-2). On the other hand, these also enhance the sincere feelings of the woman who uses an exaggerated sense of humor and sarcasm to hide her true feelings of desperation. The image of “home” creates a certain harmony as a symbol of a warm and comforting relationship. The word “slips” sounds horrible because kindness resembles the ghost that truly lacks human form. This is why one can assume that kindness is a precise symbol of death since in reality it does not exist. Simplicity plays a fundamental role as it allows the reader to grasp and realize the primary message regarding the depth of reality and the human inability to escape death. even if kindness is around. The point is that simple words and accurate expressions demonstrate the speaker's feelings and immerse anyone in the plot of the poem. In this case, the lines "The blue and red jewels of her rings smoke/ In the windows, the mirrors/ Are filled with smiles" have a metaphorical meaning as they somehow reflect the image of kindness that exists in every corner of the soul who is speaking. and heart (Plat 3-5). So, the colors blue and red might create a pleasant tone and cause an elevated mood but, unfortunately, the image of “smoke” symbolizes darkness related to death. However, if the kindness refers to death, he tries to hide his emotions through smiles that may confuse the speaker. Perhaps it means that the woman lacks the moral power and physical strength to oppose the kindness that controls her life, and therefore cannot stop death. This idea contributes to the creation of the main conflict of the poem since theKindness brings nothing but disappointment and despair. Plath seems quite gracious in addressing the fact that she might be staring into the barrel of death. Ultimately, he uses the word “kindness” to denote death or paint a dark picture for the audience, but a symbolic image of “sugar” could have a calming impact on the reader's perception. Focusing on the combination of life and death, the speaker also reveals her nature through motherhood. The words “What's so real as a baby's cry?/ A rabbit's cry can be wilder/ But it has no soul” describes her inner sufferings – the sufferings of a lonely mother experiencing pain from a infant crying (Plath 6 -8). It could be a clear indication of the presence of imminent death. Thus, the reader can hear an innocent sound based on tenderness and pain as there is nothing worse than childish tears and mother's suffering. However, the image of the “rabbit” might confuse the reader as it is usually associated with kindness and has nothing in common with death. Furthermore, such negative thoughts underline the insecurity and vulnerability of the woman who, being a devoted mother, cannot get rid of negative emotions. She tries to explain that Death has no soul and that it might be too difficult for her to resist its killing power. This is why, in the last stanza, the speaker goes on to say that there is no way to stop her own death but the thought of her two children gives her reason to stay alive as long as possible. In “Wedded Bliss”, Gilman ironically illustrates the pleasure of being married on the one hand and the impossibility of being together due to the particular differences that separate God's creatures. Similar to Plath, Gilman also applies sarcasm to represent the essence of reality and its murderous influence on the outside world – the kingdom of animals and people. However, he praises marriage as something holy and destructive at the same time, since even animals cannot coexist due to their particular origin. A repetitive phrase used three times "Oh come and be my companion!" makes the reader feel compassion for the protagonists who suffer from loneliness (Gilman 1). Both authors personify their characters, but Gilman prefers to illustrate animals rather than something abstract. Even if the speaker suggests the idea that the eagle can live with the chicken, the lion with the sheep, the salmon with the clam, the reader realizes that this is nothing more than irony and absurdity. These contain some contradictions as an emphasis on a harsh reality and lead to the conflict of the poem as none of them can truly coexist. The words “I don't feel like trying” highlight an overall thought that is unable to obey the existing injustice of the surrounding environment (Gilman 6). Therefore, all six characters mentioned in the poem are completely different, and that is why their coexistence in marriage is simply impossible. Plath contrasts kindness with death, and Gilman portrays the controversy between opportunity and probability. Gilman believes that the lion kills but, on the other hand, the sheep admits that she would like to see him “chase, devour, and kill (Gilman 16). This paints a mixed picture for the public because, in reality, the lion and the sheep cannot live in so-called marriage. In fact, the lion would prey on the sheep at first sight, and so the speaker focuses on society's expectations by suggesting that the lion and the sheep can actually coexist in a marital relationship. Unlike “Kindness,” in “Wedded Bliss,” Gilman brings the story of six characters to life when he delves into the theme of marriage. Furthermore, the six characters in the poem are legendary enemies (predator and prey) and therefore not.