What are the different stages of the journey in the poem “Crossing the Water?”

Answer

What are the different stages of the journey in the poem “Crossing the Water?” [NU: 2016]

Or, Describe the different stages of the journey in “Crossing the Water.” [NU: 2020] ★★★

Sylvia Plath’s (1932-1963) poem “Crossing the Water” was written likely between 1960 and 1961. The poem shows a boat journey that is both real and symbolic. On the surface, it is about two people crossing a dark lake. In a deeper sense, the journey is about going through different feelings of sadness, false hope, and fear. We will describe the different stages of the journey below.

Stage One—Darkness: The poem opens with the line,

“Black lake, black boat, two black, cut-paper people.”

Here, everything is dark. The lake, the boat, and even the travelers look lifeless, like “cut-paper.” This stage shows the beginning of the journey, which feels shadowy and full of fear. The trees and their shadows seem endless. The shadows cover “Canada.”

Stage Two—A Hint of Light: In the next stage, some light appears through the water flowers: 

“A little light is filtering from the water flowers.”

The flowers tell the travelers not to hurry. This stage gives a tiny hope, but the advice of the flowers is not comforting. Their “dark advice” suggests warning and mystery.

Stage Three—Danger and Fear: As the boat moves, the oar shakes the cold water. A dead tree branch lifts a “pale hand,” like a farewell. This stage shows loneliness and fear of death. At last, stars shine among the lilies. But the lilies are compared to “expressionless sirens.” In Greek myth, sirens look beautiful, but they lure sailors into the sea to be drowned. So, the journey ends in a world of danger and silence.

In short, the journey in “Crossing the Water” moves from total darkness to false light and to fear and silence. The boat journey seems to be