The Bell Jar is the only novel written by the American writer and poet Sylvia Plath. Originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963, the novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed. The book is often regarded as a roman à clef because the protagonist's descent into mental illness parallels Plath's own experiences with what may have been clinical depression or bipolar II disorder. Plath died by suicide a month after its first United Kingdom publication. The novel was published under Plath's name for the first time in 1967 and was not published in the United States until 1971, in accordance with the wishes of both Plath's husband, Ted Hughes, and her mother. The novel has been translated into nearly a dozen languages.
The Bell Jar is the only novel written by the American writer and poet Sylvia Plath. Originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963, the novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed. The book is often regarded as a roman à clef because the protagonist's descent into mental illness parallels Plath's own experiences with what may have been clinical depression or bipolar II disorder. Plath died by suicide a month after its first United Kingdom publication. The novel was published under Plath's name for the first time in 1967 and was not published in the United States until 1971, in accordance with the wishes of both Plath's husband, Ted Hughes, and her mother. The novel has been translated into nearly a dozen languages.
"I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am."
"I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am."
"If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed." So I came across this book by pure chance on one of the websites I frequent shabd.in and gave it a read and and i am glad i did so. The story itself is so poignantly written that it really evokes strong emotions in you. Sylvia Plath's writing is brutally honest and raw. She doesn't shy away from portraying the challenges and complexities of mental illness.
"If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed." So I came across this book by pure chance on one of the websites I frequent shabd.in and gave it a read and and i am glad i did so. The story itself is so poignantly written that it really evokes strong emotions in you. Sylvia Plath's writing is brutally honest and raw. She doesn't shy away from portraying the challenges and complexities of mental illness.
An interesting book giving quite a different perspective to the norm, through the eyes of a woman who is doing what she can to be prosperous in life, at first by the standard of others, but learning more about herself and what she wants to achieve, eg not be a slave to a man. Explores also mental health and how one gets labelled and what one feasably expects from a person who exhibits different characteristics not deemed conventional.
This is prose writing at it's absolute best, and however distressing the content of the book may be , you can't fail to be impressed by the masterful use of English by this unbelievably gifted young woman. I went on to read Sylvia's journal, and at that point it became obvious that you can substitute the name Esther for Sylvia - they are one and the same. I've felt compelled to read much of the other prose and poetry she wrote in her tragically short life and can totally understand why she's regarded as one of the greatest writers of twentieth century literature.
This is prose writing at it's absolute best, and however distressing the content of the book may be , you can't fail to be impressed by the masterful use of English by this unbelievably gifted young woman. I went on to read Sylvia's journal, and at that point it became obvious that you can substitute the name Esther for Sylvia - they are one and the same. I've felt compelled to read much of the other prose and poetry she wrote in her tragically short life and can totally understand why she's regarded as one of the greatest writers of twentieth century literature.
Well-written but depressing. Lots about feminism. I liked that stuff. But not so much the morbidity of spending so much time in a depressed person's head who is going through psych wards and things of that nature.
Well-written but depressing. Lots about feminism. I liked that stuff. But not so much the morbidity of spending so much time in a depressed person's head who is going through psych wards and things of that nature.
All I could think about while reading this book was: it's incredible how Sylvia Plath managed to create a character so real, authentic, and coherent. A single person holds up the entire novel, a single person's mind (which might as well be thousands). A mind that is intelligent, astute, pragmatic, yet sinking deep into bleakness and dullness. The reader is taken on this difficult journey into the depths of depression, into the stifling bell jar, in a way that it suddenly all seems understandable.
All I could think about while reading this book was: it's incredible how Sylvia Plath managed to create a character so real, authentic, and coherent. A single person holds up the entire novel, a single person's mind (which might as well be thousands). A mind that is intelligent, astute, pragmatic, yet sinking deep into bleakness and dullness. The reader is taken on this difficult journey into the depths of depression, into the stifling bell jar, in a way that it suddenly all seems understandable.
I can see both the appeal of this book and why it achieved iconic status (and is especially chilling if you read it as a roman-a-clef), but I felt curiously detached as I read it. Something about the narrator's own detachment from the world around her makes the descriptions of even the most intense events feel cool and distant.
I can see both the appeal of this book and why it achieved iconic status (and is especially chilling if you read it as a roman-a-clef), but I felt curiously detached as I read it. Something about the narrator's own detachment from the world around her makes the descriptions of even the most intense events feel cool and distant.
I can see how this may nbe an affirming book for some people but reading this just gave me sympathetic feelings of these things PSA don't read this in one day if it's January and you're already dealing with depression. This was just too close to home to much of a reminder of the reality of what I'm living and a warning of how far this can drag you and just wow. Yeah. Do read if youve never experienced mental illness for insight because this is so spot on.
I can see how this may nbe an affirming book for some people but reading this just gave me sympathetic feelings of these things PSA don't read this in one day if it's January and you're already dealing with depression. This was just too close to home to much of a reminder of the reality of what I'm living and a warning of how far this can drag you and just wow. Yeah. Do read if youve never experienced mental illness for insight because this is so spot on.
