About Sylvia PlathAbout Sylvia Plath

• Sylvia Plath was one of the most Sylvia Plath was one of the most unique writers ever to come to my unique writers ever to come to my attention. She had a unique writing attention. She had a unique writing style unmatched by any other. Her style unmatched by any other. Her one novel, the Bell Jar, was one novel, the Bell Jar, was essentially an auto-biography, with essentially an auto-biography, with some variationssome variations

Early LifeEarly Life

• Born October 27Born October 27thth 1932, into a middle 1932, into a middle class family in Jamaica class family in Jamaica Plain MassachusettsPlain Massachusetts

• Parents were Otto and Parents were Otto and Aurelia PlathAurelia Plath

• Interested in poetry as Interested in poetry as a childa child

• First poem “Circus In First poem “Circus In Three Rings” Three Rings” published when she published when she was 8 years of agewas 8 years of age

More life…………….More life…………….

• Sylvia’s father died of Sylvia’s father died of Diabetes shortly after her Diabetes shortly after her 88thth birthday leading Sylvia birthday leading Sylvia to her initial phase of to her initial phase of depressiondepression

• Sylvia excelled in English Sylvia excelled in English and writing in grade and writing in grade school and obtained a school and obtained a scholarship to Smith scholarship to Smith CollegeCollege

• Attempted suicide in Attempted suicide in 1953, by consuming a 1953, by consuming a mass amount of sleep-aid mass amount of sleep-aid pillspills

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• Met the renowned Met the renowned poet named Ted poet named Ted Hughes and married Hughes and married him a year later while him a year later while attending Cambridge attending Cambridge UniversityUniversity

• Their marriage ended Their marriage ended up in divorce. Sylvia up in divorce. Sylvia felt that Ted was felt that Ted was unfaithful to her.unfaithful to her.

The Bell JarThe Bell Jar

• The The Bell JarBell Jar is is Sylvia Plath’s only Sylvia Plath’s only novel and it novel and it exhibits similarities exhibits similarities to Sylvia Plath’s to Sylvia Plath’s life.life.

The bell JarThe bell Jar

• Main Character Esther green receives Main Character Esther green receives guest editorship for a magazine in guest editorship for a magazine in new York citynew York city

• Esther meets people who would Esther meets people who would become her lifelong friends, one become her lifelong friends, one named Doreennamed Doreen

• Experiences a mental breakdown, is Experiences a mental breakdown, is admitted to a private institutionadmitted to a private institution

Parallels of the Bell JarParallels of the Bell Jar

• Sylvia Plath was a guest Sylvia Plath was a guest intern for mademoiselle intern for mademoiselle magazine in NYC in 1953magazine in NYC in 1953

• Her first suicide attempt Her first suicide attempt was swallowing sleeping was swallowing sleeping pills and crawling under her pills and crawling under her househouse

• Sylvia was admitted to Sylvia was admitted to McLean hospital until she McLean hospital until she showed signs of sanityshowed signs of sanity

• Sylvia has troubles with Sylvia has troubles with relationships, she could relationships, she could never trust mennever trust men

• Attendance of Smith CollegeAttendance of Smith College

• The main character had a The main character had a guest internship in NYCguest internship in NYC

• The main character The main character attempted suicide by attempted suicide by swallowing pills and going swallowing pills and going under her houseunder her house

• The Bell Jar ends with the The Bell Jar ends with the main character stepping main character stepping into an interrogation room into an interrogation room of an insane asylumof an insane asylum

• The main Character The main Character struggles with trust issues struggles with trust issues after seeing her friend after seeing her friend being taken advantage of being taken advantage of on a night outon a night out

• Dark and negativeDark and negative(She denied those facts and injuries which were (She denied those facts and injuries which were

judged right by the modern society.)judged right by the modern society.)

• TangentsTangents( About the act of commit suicide, We can think the ( About the act of commit suicide, We can think the

reason for her suicide as a sudden physical reason for her suicide as a sudden physical feeling.)feeling.)

• ConfessionalConfessional( The poetess shows its “self” in her poem. The word ( The poetess shows its “self” in her poem. The word

“I” is used for poetess herself.)“I” is used for poetess herself.)

• Impressive imageryImpressive imagery( She wanted that after her death , she could leave ( She wanted that after her death , she could leave

her memory to the world that was a caring and her memory to the world that was a caring and affectionate mother and her children should also affectionate mother and her children should also remember her as an affectionate mother.)remember her as an affectionate mother.)

• LanguageLanguage( Sylvia Plath used very impressive language in her ( Sylvia Plath used very impressive language in her

poems. This practice of using of impressive poems. This practice of using of impressive language was a plan to deceive her readers.) language was a plan to deceive her readers.)

Literary Criticism

“Dying is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call. “- Sylvia Plath

“Dying is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call.”

-Sylvia Plath

Plath DiesPlath Dies

• Sylvia committed suicide on Sylvia committed suicide on February 11February 11thth 1963 1963

• She stuck her head in the She stuck her head in the oven, but didn’t forget to oven, but didn’t forget to leave cookies and milk on leave cookies and milk on the kitchen table for her the kitchen table for her childrenchildren

• It was questioned whether It was questioned whether or not her suicide was or not her suicide was intentional or just a cry for intentional or just a cry for attention because a nanny attention because a nanny and a friend of the family and a friend of the family were fixed to arrive at the were fixed to arrive at the Plath residence early that Plath residence early that morningmorning

I thinkI think

• The subject matter of Sylvia’s work The subject matter of Sylvia’s work revolved around what happened in her revolved around what happened in her life.life.

• Her depression, suicide attempts, and Her depression, suicide attempts, and family all played role in her writingfamily all played role in her writing

• She was basically a confessional writer.She was basically a confessional writer.

• She was the poetess of suicide.She was the poetess of suicide.

Jyoti Tomar Afaq Ansari

Preeti Saini

Sachin KumarNisha Mehra

Pushpa AryaKm.Priti Km. Laxmi