Research Article
Metaphors of the Hive: Linguistic Sovereignty and Collective Agency in Sylvia Plath
Roseline Jesudas
Middle East Research Journal of Linguistics and Literature; 14-21.
https://doi.org/10.36348/merjll.2026.v06i02.001
This study provides an exhaustive radical feminist interrogation of Sylvia Plath's "The Arrival of the Bee Box" and "Stings," positioning these works as critical nodes in the discourse of female resistance and identity formation. Utilizing a qualitative hermeneutic methodology, the research explores how Plath’s apiary metaphors function as a visceral critique of 20th-century patriarchal supremacy. By synthesizing Lilia Quindoza Santiago’s (Santiago, 1997) framework of "chaotic emotions" as a precursor to collective agency with first- and second-wave feminist theories, the analysis demonstrates a trajectory from domestic entrapment to revolutionary sovereignty. Findings suggest that Plath’s imagery—ranging from the "midget coffin" to the "lion-red" queen—transcends personal confession to articulate a universal demand for female autonomy. This research addresses a significant gap in scholarship by connecting Plath's internal psychological "chaos" to a broader political movement toward collective agency, thereby reinforcing her enduring relevance in contemporary feminist and mental health dialogues.