What is the significance of the title of Lady Lazarus?

Answer 1

She calls herself "a sort of walking miracle", hence the title "Lady Lazarus" (Line 4). From the title alone it is safe to assume that this poem involves a death and a resurrection. In fact, she attempts to kill herself three times. Lazarus occurs at two particular places within the "Bible". In one situation, Lazarus is a relative a Jesus who has passed away. Jesus finds that his death can be used in order to show the people around him that he is the Son of God, so he resurrects Lazarus. In the same way, Plath sees herself as a miracle. When she tries to kill herself, "[she] [does] it exceptionally well. /[She] [does] it so it feels like hell" (Line 45-46). This way, when she comes back, she is a sort of miracle, an immortal among those that are doomed. Secondly, Lazarus is also depicted in the "Bible" as a servant man covered in sores, likely leprosy. Plath describes herself as having some sort of lasting scars or defect that causes "the peanut-crunching crowd /[to shove] in to see" (Line 26-27). Lepers were often treated as outcasts biblically; Plath feels as if she is also some sort of freak for the general public to gather around and chant and chatter at, probing for some sort of beastly entertainment.