Sylvia Plath completed her masterpiece, Lady Lazarus, in the days prior to her suicide in 1963, while in a state of disturbance, distress, and obsession. To Plath, this was not just a poem; rather a message to others about her life, her enemies, and her struggles with everything from her family to mental stability. Lady Lazarus conveys Plath's real life suicide attempts, parallels to her classic novel, The Bell Jar, as well as a biblical allusion in its title, resulting in a horrific, yet detailed annotation of her psychological troubles.

Within the first three lines of her autobiographical poem, Plath endows the reader with a strong image and message, by simply stating she has attempted suicide three times. Plath proclaims, "I have done it again. / One year in every ten / I manage it ----." She is ultimately implying suicide attempts have...