"Who Likes Sylvia Plath?" is a poem written by American poet Anne Sexton. It was published in her 1962 collection "All My Pretty Ones".
The poem explores the theme of identity and the struggle to be accepted and liked by society. The speaker, who is assumed to be Sexton herself, questions whether anyone truly likes the real version of her, alluding to the struggles and inner turmoil of the poet Sylvia Plath.
Sylvia Plath was an influential American poet who wrote about similar themes of identity and societal expectations. Sexton was a close friend and contemporary of Plath, and it is believed that her struggles and eventual suicide influenced Sexton's writing.
The poem is written in free verse with no set rhyme scheme or meter. It is divided into three stanzas, each with a different tone and focus. The first stanza sets the scene and introduces the theme, the second dives into the speaker's thoughts and feelings, and the third offers a resolution or conclusion.
Sexton's poetry often explores themes of mental illness, gender roles, and societal expectations, and "Who Likes Sylvia Plath?" is no exception. It fits into her larger body of work as a reflection of her personal struggles and the larger issues she grappled with throughout her life.