Daddy

The swastika is the ultimate symbol of the Nazi-Jew relationship, which Plath invokes throughout the poem. It is not until Stanza 10 that Plath mentions “Not God but a swastika” (Line 46), comparing her father to a member of the Nazi party over a Godly figure, essentially how she viewed him when she was a young girl. On the surface, Nazis and God seem like a juxtaposition, or contrast. However, upon deeper analysis, the Nazi party became popular because of a leader who was able to embrace an all-knowing presence fit for idol worship and convince enough people that the Aryan race reigned supreme. Secondly, the ancient meaning of the swastika, as perceived by followers of various predominantly Asian religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, relates to good luck and prosperity. This contrast in viewing the swastika, from the Eastern and Western worlds, fits the twists and turns in the poem and in the speaker’s mind about the nature of her relationship with her father.

Raised in the Unitarian Christian faith, Plath started to question religion from the time of her father’s death until her own suicide, a choice that has its own set of moral conundrums.