References To The Phoenix
The poem also alludes to the mythological bird called the phoenix. The speaker of this poem describes her unsuccessful attempts at committing suicide not as failures, but as successful resurrections, like those described in the tales of the biblical character Lazarus and the phoenix. By the end of the poem, the speaker has transformed into a firebird, effectively marking her rebirth, which some critics liken to a demonic transformation.
Read more about this topic: Lady Lazarus
Famous quotes containing the word phoenix:
“A phoenix it is
This hearse that must bless
With aromatic gums
That cost great sums,
The way of thurification
To make a fumigation,
Sweet of reflare,
And redolent of air,”
—John Skelton (1460?–1529)