Summary of The Laburnum Top by Ted Hughes?

Answer 1

This is a very powerful poem with the subtle beauty of symbolism and mysticism embedded in it. The tree in the poem symbolizes the hard part of life and the bird the sleek and tender.

Worshipers of nature did and do believe that without mountain there is no river and without river no mountain. and without mountain and river no universe too.

In the same way the tree and the bird are complementing each other. The hard and dull entity of the tree undergoes a transition the moment a bird enters its life. A lot of movement and melodious music of life becomes so copious in the tree.

Once the predestined duty has been carried out, the bird has to leave for the infinity.

Here comes my thoughts about man woman relationship. the circle of family life becomes perfect and harmonious only with the complementary existence of woman and man. Till the introduction of woman the soft aspect of life to man's life the hard part, life is dull and dry. Almost a similar concept has been drawn in Donne's poem Valediction Forbidding Morning.

I find certain autobiographical elements in this poem. The poet's life with his wife Sylvia Plath was much controversial. She was very much depressed towards the last part of her life. Though she committed suicide exhaling carbon monoxide keeping her head in an oven, and many started finding fault with Ted Hughes for her death, I strongly believe that the poet here is referring to his innocence in this poem.

he was very much appreciative of the significance of her presence in his life. When she left for the infinity, the poet too has become spiritually lifeless.