Analysis of Sylvia Plath's poem "To Eva Descending Upon the Stair"

Sylvia Plaths' poem "To Eva Descending the Stair" may at first seem only a petty, pretty piece with a few good alliterations which plays upon the overused mystery of the cosmos. However, beyond the references to the moon, sun, and stars, Plath cleverly hides deep symbols of pagan religion and the feminine divine. The title of the poem is the first and only mention of Eva, presumably the addressed "you" in the rest of the …

…part of this cycle, they were considered equal, if not superior, to men. Other symbols in the poem, including planets, stars, the color red, and a rose, are all related in some way to paganism. Sylvia Plath's poetry expresses her beliefs in a way that is both intriguing and creative. Her use of repeated lines, unstructured rhyme scheme, and the interesting way in which she presents her theme make her poem both poignant and memorable.