Review Article
Amel Manzoor Palara
H00BAENG20210230
The Bell Jar: A Semi-Autobiographical Marvel
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath is an eerie and profoundly reflective book about the
mental collapse of Esther Greenwood, a gifted and aspirational college student in
the 1950s. Using themes of societal pressure, gender injustice, and mental illness to
create a complex portrait of a young woman's journey into madness, Plath
skillfully combines them in her semi-autobiographical work.
I was quickly drawn in by Plath's poetry and vivid prose. She expertly captures the
character's inner struggle and disorientation in her vivid and visceral depictions of
Esther's experiences. For instance, Esther mentions feeling stuck under a fig tree in
one scene and being unable to decide which fig to pluck. This potent metaphor
effectively conveys Esther's overall feelings of tremendous uncertainty and worry
throughout the book.
The pressure imposed on young women to adhere to societal norms is one of the
novel's main themes. Esther struggles to find a means to express her own
aspirations and ambitions in a world that seems intent to suffocate them because
she is acutely aware of the restrictions placed on her as a woman in the 1950s. In
her words:
“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From
the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and
winked. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just
because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose.”
An insightful and nuanced analysis of mental illness can be found in Plath's
writing. She depicts Esther's collapse as the result of a complicated interaction
between her psychological issues and the demands and expectations she was
subjected to outside of herself. Through Esther's experiences, Plath highlights the
shortcomings of the psychiatric system of her time, which frequently resorted to
harmful and antiquated practices like electroshock therapy.
Most strikingly, Plath's portrayal of mental illness is strongly influenced by a
feminist viewpoint. She demonstrates how Esther's emotions of loneliness and
hopelessness are made worse by the gendered expectations and restrictions of the
1950s, and she makes the argument that real healing won't happen until these more
systemic social problems are resolved. “The trouble was, I had been inadequate all
along, I simply hadn't thought about it", Esther muses towards the book's
conclusion.
Plath examines the intricate relationship between mental illness and suicide
throughout the entire book. Esther frequently has suicidal thoughts and attempts,
and the lack of understanding and support from those around her makes her mental
health issues worse. Plath depicts Esther's many therapy and treatments,
underlining how frequently inadequate mental healthcare was, especially in the
mid-20th century when the book was set.
The scene has not changed a lot since then, mental illness is still a taboo topic
amongst people and there is little to no importance given to mental well-being.
The Bell Jar serves as a potent reminder of the value of having candid discussions
regarding suicide and mental illness. Plath gives a harsh warning about the
consequences of ignoring or stigmatizing mental illness by describing Esther's
experiences with despair and suicidal thoughts. The novel also emphasizes the
necessity of more widespread public understanding and education about mental
health issues, as well as humane and efficient mental healthcare. The Bell Jar
explores the human cost of mental illness and the critical need for better mental
health support and understanding in a poignant and thought-provoking way overall.
Sylvia Plath's passage from The Bell Jar that stands out is this: "The silence
depressed me. It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence." This quote
emphasizes the sense of isolation and loneliness that can accompany mental illness.
Esther, the main character, experiences a strong sense of alienation as a result of
her perception that she is unable to communicate with those around her. This
concept is vital because it emphasizes how crucial communication is in the fight
against mental illness. We can break through the stigma and secrecy that frequently
surrounds mental illness and foster a sense of community and understanding by
talking about our problems and experiences with others. The inward silence that
Esther experiences, however, highlights the need for self-reflection and
introspection, and the quote also says that the source of the issue may be within
oneself. This concept is crucial because it stresses how complicated mental illness
is and how crucial it is to cope with these problems with both external support and
inward contemplation.
The Bell Jar is obviously a challenging and perhaps harrowing book to read, but
it's also incredibly rewarding. The representation of Esther's troubles in Plath's
writing, which is both exquisite and brutally honest, is just as important today as it
was when the book was first released in 1963. The examination of mental illness,
gender inequity, and societal pressure in the book is just as relevant and important
today as it was more than 50 years ago.
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly urge anyone looking for a compelling and
thought-provoking examination of the human psyche to read The Bell Jar. The
eerie beauty that is Plath's book will stay with you long after you've finished
reading it.
