The Colossus and Other Poems was published by William Heinemann, London, on 31 October 1960, in a first printing of approximately 1,500 copies priced at 12s 6d. The American edition (Knopf, 1962) followed with some changes to the contents. This was the only collection of poems Plath published during her lifetime — Ariel appeared two years after her death. The book received respectful reviews (A. Alvarez praised it in The Observer) but modest sales, and Plath remained largely unknown at the time of her death.
The Poems
The Colossus contains forty-four poems written between 1956 and 1959. They are formally accomplished — metrically controlled, richly textured, influenced by Roethke, Stevens, and particularly by Plath’s study of Graves’s The White Goddess. The title poem addresses Plath’s dead father as a ruined statue — a massive, broken Colossus that the daughter crawls over, trying to piece together. The theme of the dead father — which would erupt with volcanic force in “Daddy” — is already present, though here treated with formal restraint rather than rage.
The collection includes several poems that are now anthology staples: “Mushrooms” (a quiet, sinister poem about vegetative persistence), “The Manor Garden” (about pregnancy), and “Blue Moles” (a meditation on death in nature). The voice is recognisably Plath’s — precise, visually acute, drawn to darkness — but lacks the ferocity and rhythmic violence of the later work. These are poems of observation and control; the Ariel poems are poems of possession and release.
Collecting The Colossus
First edition (1960, Heinemann, London): Approximately 1,500 copies, priced at 12s 6d.
Identification points:
- “First published in Great Britain 1960” on the copyright page
- Published by William Heinemann Ltd
- Blue cloth boards with gold spine lettering
- Dust jacket: white/cream with blue design
First edition, first printing:
- Fine/Fine in dust jacket: $8,000–$20,000
- Near Fine in jacket: $3,000–$8,000
- Without jacket: $500–$1,500
First American edition (1962, Alfred A. Knopf):
- Fine/Fine in jacket: $1,500–$4,000
- Without jacket: $200–$500
Signed copies: Plath signed copies of The Colossus during her lifetime — though rarely, as she had few public readings and the book sold modestly. Signed copies are extremely rare: $15,000–$40,000+.
Value trajectory (2016–2026): Approximately 2× for the Heinemann first. The tiny print run and Plath’s stature make this permanently scarce. It benefits from the same institutional and private demand that drives all Plath firsts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this as good as Ariel? It is a different kind of achievement — more formally controlled, less emotionally extreme, less revolutionary. Many of the poems are excellent on their own terms, but they do not have the world-changing force of the Ariel poems.
Did Plath sign many copies? Very few. She was unknown, the print run was small, and she had limited opportunities for signing. Authentic signatures from this period are among the rarest in modern poetry.