Crossing the Water

Ans: The title “Crossing the Water” signifies a mystical journey of the soul from this world to the underworld.

Ans: The poem "Crossing the Water" is about going through the experience of death.

Ans: “Two black, cut-paper people” make the journey in " Crossing the Water”.

Ans: “Cut paper people” means people who are papery thin, lacking substance and lacking identity.

Ans: In 'Crossing the Water' ‘black lake’ symbolizes death.

Ans: In "Crossing the Water", the 'spirit of blackness' symbolises pessimistic view of life. It also symbolises man’s inborn capability to die.

Ans: The title “Crossing the Water” signifies a mystical journey of the soul from this world to the underworld.

Ans: The inner meaning of the title of the poem ‘Crossing the Water’ is the journey towards and through death.

Ans: The poem "Crossing the Water" is about going through the experience of death.

Ans: 'Pale hand' signifies death.

Ans: The implied meaning of "Cold worlds shake from the oar" is that there are worlds in drops of water that shake from the oars as they row towards the world of the Dead.

Ans: "The silence of astounded souls" means the quietness and astonished condition of souls in the world of the Dead.

Ans: In "Crossing the Water" Sylvia Plath crossed the lake that may be called ‘Death’. It may be symbolic of the Lake Styx in Greek mythology as people believed that this lake must be crossed to gain access to afterlife.

Ans: The silence of the astounded souls suggests the finality in the poem "Crossing the Water".