Snakecharmer and in the Snake Park
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The poem, “Snakecharmer”, is a poem that conveys an underlying theme of power and control, as represented by the snakecharmer, through the nature of the snakes and their relationship with the snakecharmer.
There is no consistent rhyme scheme to the poem, and almost all the stanzas in the poem have run-on lines to the following stanza. The effect these create is a general atmosphere of inconsistency and disorder. The run-on lines also place an emphasis upon the last word of the stanza and the first word of the following, helping the poet impress upon the reader the significance of words such as “river”, “tongues”, “snakes”, “shapes” and “rules”. The atmosphere of inconsistency and disorder that is created can also be linked to the free, uncontrollable movement of the snakes.
The poet also uses repetition of the word snake to impress upon the reader the fact that snakes are all there is in this world, a hypnotic effect that brings clearly to the reader the image of a “world of snakes”. The sibilance of the words Plath chooses to use creates an indistinctly ominous effect that is lazy and almost hypnotic to the reader. The sibilant “s” is present at least once in every line of the poem, exaggerating that effect, which is very much like the movement of a snake holding its prey in thrall before the kill. Thus the atmosphere of disorder and inconsistency is threaded with an indistinct sense of foreboding for the reader.
In the first stanza, the “snakecharmer” is generalized as he is juxtaposed with “gods” and “man”. The grand style of the first line is continued through to the second as the charming of snakes is likened to the beginning of worlds; “begins a snaky sphere”. Here the reader is made aware of the amount of power the snakecharmer possesses in his control over the snakes. The grand style abovementioned gives a sense of grandeur to the snakecharmer, and the tone of this stanza is subtly respectful towards him. In the last line of the stanza, the word “pipes” is repeated; “mouth-pipe. He pipes. Pipes green. Pipes water”; that has an almost hypnotic effect on the reader. This could be because the repetition of a word coupled with frequent use of caesuras gives a calming effect that can soothe the reader while commanding his attention. This is precisely the effect the snakecharmer has on the snakes.
In the first line of the second stanza, the poet uses the metaphor of “green water” and “green river to describe the snakes and their movement. She continues to use this image by referring to the snakes bodies as “reedy lengths and necks and undulatings”. This metaphor allows the mind to visualize the image of the snakes long, flexible bodies and the smooth, flowing, and free movements of the snakes. However, the poet ensures that the reader is constantly aware of the snakecharmers control over the snakes with the repeated use of “pipes”, and other references to his control over them; “his notes twine green, the green river / Shapes its images around his songs”. “Twine” and “Shapes”, especially suggest the use of control on his part. This awareness, then contradicts the previous freedom, negating it, even.
In the third and fourth stanzas, the snakecharmer seems to need a firm and solid support, but there is “no rocks / No floor” for him, only a wave of flickering grass tongues / Supports his foot”. Although “wave” and “flickering” suggest unsteadiness and instability, the snakes under his control are able to support him. The word “wave” also indicates a very large number of snakes, as do “a world of snakes” and “nothing but snakes” and this creates an almost suffocating effect for the reader.
In the fifth, sixth and seventh stanzas, the poet builds up the pace of the poem through a more frequent use of caesuras. The alliteration in the fifth stanza of “bodies, bough, breast” also helps bring up the pace of the poem as the “b” sound creates an explosive effect that indicates something shocking. This prepares the reader for the sheer number of snakes described later; “snaky generations: let there be snakes!”, after which the pace slows again. The snakecharmers absolute power is reaffirmed in he within this snakedom / Rules the writhings which make manifest / His snakehood and his might with pliant tunes”, where “snakedom”, “rules”, “snakehood” and “might” emphasize the fact that the snakecharmer is the ruler of all the snakes. The fall in pace and thus in energy at the end of the seventh stanza is from the anti-climactic “And snakes there were, are, will be – til yawns”.
The last stanzas continue this decline in pace and energy til the end of the poem. The surreal atmosphere created by the poet before that anti-climax is suddenly undercut by the very human behaviour of the snakecharmer; “yawns”. When he “tires of music” and “yawns” the reader is reminded, rudely, that he is and ordinary human too, despite his power over the snakes; “snakehood and his might”. It is interesting to see that what the reader would view as powerful, compelling and extraordinary