The Bell Jar

‘The Bell Jar’ is a semi autobiographical novel written by Sylvia Plath. Plath originally published the novel under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas, because she worried about its literary credit. 'The Bell Jar' was Plath's only novel, as she is most famously known for her collections of poetry. Although parts of 'The Bell Jar' are fictionalized, the novel looks back at the summer and autumn of her junior year. 

Esther Greenwood, the novels protagonist, is a conscientious English student who travels to New York to work as a guest editor. Esther immediately becomes aware of her unhappiness, while the other girls she is with are having the time of their lives, Esther feels miserable. While in New York, Esther has an ongoing internal struggle about what to do with her life. She wonders whether she must conform to the traditional female way of living, becoming a wife and mother or pursue her dreams of focusing on writing.  Esther’s boyfriend, Buddy, seemingly appears to be the ideal man: he is intelligent, handsome and highly ambitious. In marrying Buddy, Esther understands that her ambition of writing poetry would have to be put to the side so Buddy could focus on his ambitions. Yet, their relationship turns sour when Buddy cheats on Esther and thus, she leaves him.

After leaving New York, Esther returns to Boston only to find out she has not be accepted to a writing class she had planned on taking. However, she begins to feel miserable again and becomes unable to read, write and sleep. Worried, her mother takes her to see a psychiatrist who provides electric shock therapy (EST) – this backfires and Esther becomes more unstable and as a result, tries to kill herself. After three failed attempts, she hides in a basement and overdoses. Esther survives this suicide attempt with no physical injuries, and is sent to a psychiatric hospital where she becomes more determined to kill herself. Esther is moved to a private hospital, as a famous novelist who sponsors her college scholarship pays for her to be transferred. In this hospital, Esther becomes more at ease and can trust her new psychiatrist, a female doctor, Dr Nolan. Dr Nolan introduces her to different forms of therapy and Esther tries a range, eventually, leading back up to EST.

Esther begins to improve and is allowed to leave the hospital from time to time. Eventually, Esther will leave the hospital to start the winter semester of college. She believes, for now, she has a grasp on reality and sanity, but knows that the bell jar, her madness, could return at any time.

‘The Bell Jar’ highlights the oppression that women in the 1950s faced. This novel has been perceived in many different ways, providing diverse reactions. Although I haven’t studied this on my Literature course yet, I know some people in my class absolutely hated this novel and thought Plath to be whiney and annoying. However, this novel is one of my favourites, I absolutely loved it and I think Plath’s novel is one that is pre-feminist. Plath herself had a debilitating mental illness which she reflects solely through Esther. I believe Esther to be an exact projection of Plath herself, and although, she doesn’t characterise her mental instability to the oppressive society, men, or herself but she does heavily pass judgement on all three.

I believe Plath was an extremely talented writer. If you haven’t read the novel, go and read it now. You’ll either love it or you’ll hate it – but you won’t know until you’ve tried.

Reviewed by Brogan Wilson