Sheep In Fog

Interpretation of “Sheep in Fog” centers on the completed version from the manuscript solidified at the end of January 1963. Deviations in the final from the original drafts are discussed in Textual Context (See: Literary Context). The body of the poem does not dwell on the domesticated animals mentioned in the title, but consistently acts as a metaphoric exploration of the poet’s fight with despair. The poem is written in Plath’s signature confessional style, unfolding in present tense from the first-person perspective.

While “sheep” literally populate the foggy landscape of the English countryside in which Plath once lived, the image in the title also suggests multiple meanings. “Sheep” are domesticated animals, which may stress Plath’s personal feelings about having to care for her children alone after she and Hughes separated. “Sheep” can be used negatively to denote someone who goes along senselessly, moving through a “fog,” without purpose. “Sheep” may also indicate member/s of a flock desperately in need of a rescuer, especially if they are separated and/or lost. The “fog” itself suggests a blurring of the landscape as low-hanging clouds move in. A sense of doomed negativity hovering over the speaker runs through the poem.