Sylvia (2003)

Gwyneth Paltrow: Sylvia Plath

Photos 

12 more photos

Quotes 

• Sylvia : [to Ted, after making love]  We're not even two people. Even before we met, we were just these two halves, walking around with big gaping holes in the shape like the other person. And when we found each other we were finally whole. And then it was as if we couldn't stand being happy so we ripped ourselves in half again.

• Sylvia : Sometimes I dream the tree, and the tree is my life. One branch is the man I shall marry, and the leaves my children. Another branch is my future as a writer, and each leaf is a poem. Another branch is a good academic career. But as I sit there trying to choose, the leaves bring to turn brown and blow away, until the tree is absolutely bare.

• Sylvia : Sometimes I feel like I'm not - solid. I'm hollow. There's - nothing behind my eyes. I'm a negative of a person. Its as if I never - I never thought anything. I never wrote - anything. I never felt anything. All I want is blackness. Blackness and silence.

• Ted : A fucking good poem is a weapon. It's... and not like a "pop", it's a bomb. A bloody big bomb!

  Sylvia : That's why they make children learn them in school. They don't want them messing about with them on their own. I mean, just imagine if a sonnet went off accidentally. Boom.

• Ted : I'm sorry...

  Sylvia : What for?

  Ted : I don't know yet...

• Sylvia : You must think I'm some stupid American bitch.

  Professor Thomas : Oh, not at all. I assumed you were Canadian.

• Mr. Robinson : Mr. Robinson. Mr. Robinson! You forgot this.

  [hands him a book of her poems] 

  Sylvia : Oh, thanks. Do you think you might be reviewing it?

  Mr. Robinson : This? I shouldn't think so. We just got the new Pasternak. Then, Betjeman's out next week and there's an E.E. Cummings in the pipeline. Not in the same league, really, is she? Sylvia...

  Sylvia : Plath.

• Al Alvarez : Look. One thing I do know about death is it is not a reunion or a homecoming. There's - there's no - your life doesn't flash before you and the missing piece of you clicks into place. It's just - there's just "fuck all"! There's nothing.

  Sylvia : So, what do you do when your life get's as bad as it can and just keeps getting worse?

  Al Alvarez : You just keep going.

• Sylvia : What is it that you do?

  David Wevill : I'm a poet.

  Sylvia : Huh, so are we.

  Ted : You're?

  Ted : Ted Hughes. I'll get some wine.

  Sylvia : I'm Sylvia Plath.

  Assia Wevill : Oh, my God, that's...

  Ted : I gave Assia a copy of your book, "The Colossus."

  Assia Wevill : It's amazing. Yes, I love your poems. They're very beautiful. They're frightening with this haunting quality. What?

  Sylvia : No, it's just - that's the best review I've ever gotten.

• Al Alvarez : It's a...

  Sylvia : It's what? What is it? Is it any good?

  Al Alvarez : Good? God, yes!

• Al Alvarez : Sylvia, I know this must have been hard on you.

  Sylvia : No. I've never been happier and I've never written more. Its as if, now he's gone, I'm free. I can finally write. I wake up between three and four, cause that's the worst time, and I write till dawn. I really feel like God is speaking through me.

• Al Alvarez : Have you got a title for your novel yet?

  Sylvia : The Bell Jar.

  Al Alvarez : When is it coming out?

  Sylvia : The new year.

  Al Alvarez : Are you going to let me read it?

  Sylvia : It's a pot boiler.

• Sylvia : No, no! Don't call a doctor. Don't you know what they do? They hook you up to the eastern grid and fill you full of sparks.

• Sylvia : If you fear something enough, it can make it happen.

• [on the phone to the BBC] 

  Sylvia : Don't take such tone of voice with me!

• Sylvia : Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I'm through.

  [from her poetry] 

• Sylvia : Who is she?

  Ted : She's nobody. A student. She was - in that creative writing class I talked to. She'd written all these poems. I took pity on her. You think I'm fooking her?

  Sylvia : Are you?

  Ted : Oh, for Christ sake! This place is really getting to you, isn't it? This bunch of dried up, malicious old women who think their men are gonna get taste for fresh meat! As a matter of fact, I'm not fooking her. But, if I do start fookin' the students, you'll be the first to know.

• Professor Thomas : There's been a power cut. The moment you need heat and light, to sustain life itself, the government cuts the electricity.

  Sylvia : Why?

  Professor Thomas : To build a national character!

• [about the cows on the river bank] 

  Sylvia : How do you think they prefer Milton or Chaucer?

  Ted : Chaucer obviously!

• [first lines] 

  Sylvia : Dying is an art. Like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like Hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call.

• Sylvia : Did you ever have something that you wanted to erase?

• Sylvia : I was dead. Only, I rose up again. Like Lazarus. Lady Lazarus. That's me.

• Sylvia : Mommy!

  Aurelia Plath : Oh, darling. Welcome home, my darling.

  Sylvia : Oh, you look beautiful.

  Aurelia Plath : You're sweet.

• Ted : You know what your trouble is?

  Sylvia : I have a husband who thinks he can tell me how to write poetry?

  Ted : There's no secret to it. You've just got to pick a subject and - stick your head into it. You've got to write. That's what poets do.

• 2nd Woman at Ted Hughes' Lecture : Oh, it must be wonderful to be married to such a great poet.

  Sylvia : Yes, it is. It is.

• Sylvia : The truth comes to me. The truth loves me.

• Sylvia : Could you get me an ashtray?

  Al Alvarez : Sure. I didn't know you smoked.

  Sylvia : I don't. But, I'm starting. I'm thinking of trying some new things.

• Sylvia : I'm just so on edge. I'm just so on edge. Oh, God, it's all my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault.

• Professor Thomas : Look, do you want me to call someone?

  Sylvia : No. No, I was just having - I just had the most beautiful dream.

• Sylvia : [final lines]  The box is locked. It is dangerous. There are no windows so I can't see what is in there. There is only a little grid. No exit.

• Sylvia : I'm thinking of taking a lover.

  Al Alvarez : Oh, how glamorous. Who is he?

  Sylvia : [Sylvia stares at Al, half-smiling]