Lady Lazarus

poem by Plath

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

"Lady Lazarus" is a poem by Sylvia Plath, published posthumously in her collection Ariel. It is a significant work within the confessional poetry movement, known for its intense personal revelations and exploration of themes like alienation and self-destruction. The poem uses vivid and often shocking imagery to confront difficult experiences, reflecting Plath's own life and struggles. It is considered one of her most famous and powerful poems, contributing to her legacy as a major figure in 20th-century literature and the women's movement.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Ariel
Famous poems: Daddy and Lady Lazarus
The collection’s best-known poem is indeed one of “violent contradictory feelings.” In “Daddy,” Plath addresses her bitter, conflicted relationship with her father, who died when Plath was a child: “I was ten when they buried you. / At twenty I tried to die…
Read More
The collection’s best-known poem is indeed one of “violent contradictory feelings.” In “Daddy,” Plath addresses her bitter, conflicted relationship with her father, who died when Plath was a child: “I was ten when they buried you. / At twenty I tried to die…
Read More

Sylvia Plath
…the poems “Daddy” and “Lady Lazarus” and the novel The Bell Jar, starkly express a sense of alienation and self-destruction closely tied to her personal experiences and, by extension, the situation of women in mid-20th-century America. The searing use of language and shocking honesty in her works helped make…
Read More
…the poems “Daddy” and “Lady Lazarus” and the novel The Bell Jar, starkly express a sense of alienation and self-destruction closely tied to her personal experiences and, by extension, the situation of women in mid-20th-century America. The searing use of language and shocking honesty in her works helped make…
Read More