Lazarus

The biblical figure of Lazarus of Bethany symbolizes resurrection. Lazarus serves as the central symbol in the poem, highlighted by his invocation in the title. In the Bible, Lazarus dies and is brought back to life by Jesus in an episode that forms the climax of the seven signs, or miracles, performed by Christ in the Book of John. The name Lazarus has accrued great cultural significance over the centuries due to its symbolization of life restored. But Plath destabilizes the symbol from the beginning of the poem by sarcastically referring to herself as “A sort of walking miracle” composed of gruesome body parts (4). She compounds this negative reading of the symbol by portraying the miracle of resurrection as a “strip tease” and a “theatrical / Comeback” that is celebrated only for its entertainment value (29, 51-52).

Ash

Ash, or what remains when something has been destroyed by...