Early LifeBorn on October 27th 1932 in Boston, Massachusetts Sylvia Plath would use her talent as a writer, to become an acclaimed poet and author in her short thirty years of life. Plath's poetry was first published at eight years old in the Boston Herald shortly after the death of her father Otto, which as an adult she stated she shut out that portion of her life. After the death of her father Plath lost her faith and continued to be separated from the church until her death. At a young age after losing her father Plath's mother moved them to Wellesley, Massachusetts where she attended High School and graduated in 1950. Soon after her graduation Plath was published national for the first time in the Christian Science Monitor; shortly after Plath was on her way to further education.
|
Education & Achievements
As a college Freshman, Plath attended Smith College where she was a highly efficient student, both continuing to write and further her knowledge. She later attended one of Cambridge's female Universities, after her third year of schooling she was awarded a very desired position as a guest editor with the magazine Mademoiselle . This position she received was in New York City where she spent her time and which plenty of The Bell Jar is based off of. She is mainly known for her poetry such as Ariel, since The Bell Jar is her only novel she has been renowned as a poet and also a person due to the fandom that followed after her suicide.
Personal life & Death
In June 16, 1956 Plath was married to Ted Hughes after having met with him during her time at Cambridge. There marriage seemed to be healthy during the early period, they had two children Frieda (1960) and Nicholas (1962-2009). As a couple they continued writing gaining influences of off each other and producing poetry at a steady pace. In 1962 Hughes and Plath separated due to his affair, with the tenant of their old home, Assia Wevill.
Plath had always had serious issues with mental illess and had attempted to kill herself multiple times. In her time in New York Sylvia tested the waters to determine if she had the "courage" to commit suicide and she slashed her legs, soon after in 1957 Plath took pills and hid in her mother's cellar (a story told in The Bell Jar). The next attempt was in 1962 in which she admitted to driving off the side of the road. Her final and successful attempt [February 11, 1963] was in her new apartment near London, in which she secured her children in separate rooms, stuffed wet towels under any opening to the kitchen, she then placed her head in the oven with the gas turned on. Plath's death was a impact event in the Literary world and blame was soon thrown the way of her husband, Ted. Hughes who passed away in 1998 has since Plath's death been ridiculed and blamed for many a things, first of course is Plath's death but also the death of Assia Wevill who killed herself, in a similar fashion as Plath, with her four year old Shura rumored to be Hughes biological daughter. Plath's and Hughes' son Nicholas also committed suicide in 2009 by hanging, as he was suspected of being depressed. It was not solely Plath who was unable to deal with life any longer.
The steam of her pain and depression which she openly spoke off in a quite strong tone was the death of her father, one of her most famous poems "Daddy" speaks to his German roots and her wished to join him, she wrote "I was ten when they buried you./At twenty I tried to die/And get back, back, back to you./I thought even the bones would do./But they pulled me out of the sack,/And they stuck me together with glue" (Daddy Plath). Sylvia Plath was a highly educated, woman, mother and wife, yet that was not sufficient she managed to be publicly considered a happy, great writer. Perhaps some find her story bewildering but in fact if one where to read The Bell Jar it is evident that, that was who Plath was truly and the rest of it was merely a fesade.
Plath had always had serious issues with mental illess and had attempted to kill herself multiple times. In her time in New York Sylvia tested the waters to determine if she had the "courage" to commit suicide and she slashed her legs, soon after in 1957 Plath took pills and hid in her mother's cellar (a story told in The Bell Jar). The next attempt was in 1962 in which she admitted to driving off the side of the road. Her final and successful attempt [February 11, 1963] was in her new apartment near London, in which she secured her children in separate rooms, stuffed wet towels under any opening to the kitchen, she then placed her head in the oven with the gas turned on. Plath's death was a impact event in the Literary world and blame was soon thrown the way of her husband, Ted. Hughes who passed away in 1998 has since Plath's death been ridiculed and blamed for many a things, first of course is Plath's death but also the death of Assia Wevill who killed herself, in a similar fashion as Plath, with her four year old Shura rumored to be Hughes biological daughter. Plath's and Hughes' son Nicholas also committed suicide in 2009 by hanging, as he was suspected of being depressed. It was not solely Plath who was unable to deal with life any longer.
The steam of her pain and depression which she openly spoke off in a quite strong tone was the death of her father, one of her most famous poems "Daddy" speaks to his German roots and her wished to join him, she wrote "I was ten when they buried you./At twenty I tried to die/And get back, back, back to you./I thought even the bones would do./But they pulled me out of the sack,/And they stuck me together with glue" (Daddy Plath). Sylvia Plath was a highly educated, woman, mother and wife, yet that was not sufficient she managed to be publicly considered a happy, great writer. Perhaps some find her story bewildering but in fact if one where to read The Bell Jar it is evident that, that was who Plath was truly and the rest of it was merely a fesade.
More Images from Sylvia plaths life:
From left to right: Plath with husband (Ted Hughes), Plath with her two children (Frieda and Nicholas), Plath during her college years, Plath with her younger brother Warren, Quote from film Annie Hall (Woody Allen), Plath at beach.