The Bell Jar' Feminist Work By Sylvia Plath

As a piece of famed literature, The Bell Jar is commonly thought to be a more prominent feminist work which focuses on the expectations of women, and their corresponding treatment in society. However, drawing parallels from the depiction of Esther as a cold and cynical protagonist as well as Plath's own life, the issues and stigma surrounding mental illness struck me significantly when reading this text. Ultimately, the most jarring and notable parallel between their two lives were the several attempts at suicide by both Esther in the text and Plath in her own life, proving fatal for Plath shortly after the novel was first published.

Although the novel was written as a work of fiction, its ulterior depiction as an autobiography cannot be ignored, along with the deeper themes of mental illness which are commonly disregarded when the text is critiqued as an overall feminist piece. As the portrayal of Plath's own struggles and depression is depicted through Esther, I found the narration provided and the detailed accounts from Esther's (albeit rather Plath's) point of view incredibly interesting to see that Esther was not written by Plath to expect or receive sympathy or compassion from the reader. It seemed that rather the reader was to follow her journey, with warning signs sprawled between the text, to instead emphasise the reality of mental health and depression. I found this to be quite interesting in several areas of the text, such as where Esther says, 'Doreen is dissolving...New York is dissolving, they are all dissolving away and none of them matter anymore.' Although this is disheartening to read, as a protagonist Esther struck out to me as she is not utilised for an emotional connection between the reader and the text, but rather to highlight the lack of an emotional connection she feels to others and to the world. This lack of an emotional connection is evidently a result of her depression, and instead of feeling pity for her I actually felt that I could understand the character relatively well.

My ability to relate to the portrayal of Esther and understanding of Plath's own experiences heavily influenced my thorough enjoyment and appreciation of this text. I admired Plath's compelling vulnerability in exploring her mental health through this text considering the stigma surrounding mental health at the time in the early 1960s, which is still prevalent in our society today. This text is one of the few I have read which tackles 'taboo' topics, such as suicide and depression, with care, providing introspective opportunities to the reader regarding their own mental health, and how we view the mental health of others. This is clearly the result of having the novel penned by Plath, and it is disheartening to know that without her subsequent suicide this text would surely not be taken seriously or as a plea for help.