‘The Bell Jar’ by Sylvia Plath has continuously been recommended to me over and over again. Described as a must read modern classic, I first heard about it in an A Level English Literature class whilst studying Sylvia Plath’s poetry.
As Sylvia Plath’s only novel, it dives deep into the mind of the protagonist Esther Greenwood, a young intern at a New York fashion magazine who is elated to have been given the opportunity to pursue her dream as a writer. Unfortunately, Esther quickly becomes overwhelmed by the atmosphere of New York City in the 1950’s. The piles of manuscripts and cocktail parties with pretentious businessmen and societal expectations catch up with her. Leaving her feeling depressed, lonely and suffering from what has now claimed the name of imposter syndrome.
The whole appeal to this particular novel was based on the authors honest depiction of the role of women within the 1950’s. The expectations they were required to fulfil, and the analysis of the protagonist’s increasing sense of isolation and paranoia due to these pressures. The symbolism of the bell jar is significant as it represents ‘the confinement and alienation’ (Exploring Symbolism in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: An In-Depth Analysis (2023) Esther feels and is used as a constant metaphor for her ‘mental state and the emotional and psychological imprisonment she experiences.’ (Exploring Symbolism in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar: An In-Depth Analysis (2023)
Personally, as someone who hasn’t suffered from depression I found some of the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings difficult to relate to. (Side Note: I would definitely check the trigger warnings for sensitive topics) However, the way in which Sylvia Plath writes, (just like her poetry) is incredibly beautiful, potent and emotive, filled with handfuls of heartache and sorrow.
This lived up to all of my expectations, from the very beginning I knew it wasn't going to be the happiest of stories - but all in all it was an extremely psychological and a very interesting read.