Sheep In Fog

Since the “sheep” in “Sheep in Fog” do not appear in the poem, one might wonder why they are important to it. Why not cows? Or why didn’t Plath dwell more with the “[h]orse” as she did in her poem “Ariel”? Why is the title of the poem not “My Horse in Fog”? The answer may have to do with the symbolism of “sheep.” “Sheep” are often used as symbols of the domesticated, and at this time, Plath was navigating the departure of her domestic partner, Ted Hughes. Plath chafed at being defined as a wife and mother, but she found she had to deal with these roles in new ways. “Sheep” are often a symbol of those who “dumbly” follow a set person or idea, and perhaps Plath chose them to represent her sense of having followed her husband or a conventional female role. “Sheep” are also known to get lost easily, and many die, if they leave their flock. Often, they need to be retrieved and guided by a shepherd. Perhaps Plath used this animal to express how she felt she no longer had a guide, that she felt abandoned. Further, when sleepless, we often “count sheep” to lull us into slumber.