In a May 1952 paper for her religion class, “Religion as I See It,” Plath laid out her “basic tenets”: man was “born without purpose in a neutral universe,” without inherent morals, and was responsible for his own destiny. There was no afterlife. “His mind may live on, as it were, in books, his flesh may continue in his children. That is all.” God was not to blame for man’s evils or triumphs. Plath claimed that she could “never find my faith through the avenue of manmade institutions,” and called herself an “agnostic humanist.” She happily admitted she was a pantheist at heart: “For my security, I resort not to the church, but to the earth. The impersonal world of sun, rocks, sea and sky gives me a strange courage.” For her, the vital world was earthly and present.
— Heather Clark, Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath (Knopf; October 27, 2020)
Notes:
- Plath was 19 years old in May 1952.
- Photographs: DK @ Daybreak. Jan 10, 2021. 6:43 to 7:20 am. 28° F, feels like 18° F. Cove Island Park, Stamford CT. More photos from this morning here.
Live & Learn 
I’m with Plath.
Beautiful sunrise, DK
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Thanks Dale. It was.
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And even as we are in the nadir of winter, spring will come. Better times are ahead, DK. Keep walking.
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I hope so Lakota. I hope so.
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Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
God not to blame for man’s evil …. and more!! For her, the vital world was earthly and present. — Heather Clark, Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath (Knopf; October 27, 2020).
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can’t stop thinking of how richer literature would be had she lived longer!
Religion has no purpose, I think. But it puzzles me, the varying degrees of purpose and moral humans are born with. A good percentage are born with none.
But there are those who, with or without God, with or without inherent morals, still walk the line!
We have a word for that quality. Can’t translate it.
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The answer can’t be found in books – or be solved by bringing it to other people. Not unless you want to remain a child all your life. You’ve got to find the answer inside you – feel the right thing to do.
Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (April 17, 1995)
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Right under ones feet. It sprouts!
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There’s strength to be found here – in her words and your photo. Thank you Dave.
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There is Val. Thank you.
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‘For her, the vital world was earthly and present.’ Amen Plath. Beautiful sunrise. The beginning of miracles each day.🌝
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Yes. Amen Plath.
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“For my security, I resort not to the church, but to the earth.” Right there with ya, Sylvia, now more than ever….. Breathtaking photo, pal…
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Yes. Thanks Lori.
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an amazing description. it makes me feel like I may be a pantheist shinto.
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Oh, no doubt Beth…
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once again, Plath is wise beyond her years.
beautiful photo; there seems to be a normal/bell curve around the sun…
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Thank you Jim. She sure was.
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