There are two main sections in St Botolph's. The first 25 lines can be quite confusing especially with all the astrological terminology. We should not worry about the specific details of the astrological section of the poem but we can still ask ourselves, what is the general meaning of the first section of the poem do you think?
Both Hughes and Plath were interested in the occult and divination. Hughes believed like some other writers that writing was a spiritual activity that connected God or the divine to the earth. The divine communicates through the writer.
Speculating about Plath, I wonder whether Plath was interested in the occult as a way of reconnecting with her dead father.
St Botolph's - some astrological terms explained
'Prospero's book' - the name of a character from The Tempest. Prospero is a great magician / ruler. He is ship wrecked on an island. The book contains the spells for his magic.
Jupiter - planet associated with whether life will be smooth or difficult.
Full moon - associated with the instinctive and intuitive
Conjunct - joined together, in association
Venus - planet associated with love, the feminine, peace
Conjunction - 2 planets in close orbit
Natal - presiding over or affecting ones birth
Sun - giver of life, adult, reason, ego
Mid heaven - position on an astrological chart associated
Mars - associated with masculinity, war
the Fish - known as Pisces
Ascendant - awakening
Neptune - planet associated with imagination and spirituality
tenth House - refers to ones life work
Here is a note about Chaucer and Dante
Both medieval poets wrote about journeys in their poetry. Chaucer wrote of a group of pilgrims making a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury. Some of the stories told include the work of astrologers.
Dante's journey is recorded in the Divine Comedy in which Dante searches for his beloved Beatrice. His journey takes him through hell, purgatory and finally paradise.
Shakespeare refers to Romeo and Juliet as 'star crossed lovers'.
