Birthday/cbr10bingo Sylvia Plath was born Oct. 27, 1932. Bingo #2 Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar is a semi-autobiographical novel about a young woman’s experience of depression and mental illness, her time in an institution and her slow journey back to wellness. It is also a commentary on the suffocating life of a young woman who wants more than life seems to offer her because of her class and gender. The Bell Jar was published in the UK in 1963, just before Plath committed suicide. The […]
Every woman adores a Fascist
I found this beautiful version of Ariel at Hebden Bridge, a little town just beneath the hill where Plath is buried at Heptonstall. Later I would later hike up there and see the two churches, the old one, burned down or deteriorated by time, and the new one that seemed dull to me compared to the expanse of a forgotten church. I didn’t know she was buried there so I walked right past her with her book in my bag. In the dullest of conclusion […]
An early foremother of my feminist literary experience
Back in high school, I hadn’t discovered the word “feminist” yet, but I had discovered the word “suffragette.” For my American history research paper in 11th grade/Junior year, I wrote about suffragettes and I wore a pantsuit for my presentation (I had no idea that Pantsuit Nation would be a part of my life sixteen years later, nor that I would still not live to see a female president of the United States). That Spring, for my English III research project, I decided to write […]
The Bell Jar
I read The Bell Jar this summer somewhat accidentally; two people traveling with me happened to read it and vehemently disagreed on it, so naturally I felt curious and wanted to participate in the arguing. I was fairly surprised by how relatable this book was (plus for whatever reason, I’ve always associated Sylvia Plath with 1800s Edgar Allan Poe era, so I also get surprised when she know what telephones are). The Bell Jar is semi-autobiographical, describing the life of Esther, a young woman in […]