Enigmatic and contreversial - 'The Bell Jar'
To put it bluntly, Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” is just as enigmatic and controversial as its author. As mentioned in last week’s review, I read Plath’s only novel over the summer and had a wonderful time doing so.
For those familiar with literary culture, “The Bell Jar” likely conjures images of a lone feminist reader, sitting in sullen contempt for the patriarchal society in which she lives (see Kat Stratford from the 1999 film “10 Things I Hate About You” for more information).
However, I wouldn’t say this feminist legacy was Plath’s original intention – in all honesty, it is just the graphic and emotional retelling of a young woman’s struggles, both material and mental. There is very little in the novel that could be seen as uplifting to women besides the brutality in which Esther, the main character, thinks.
Considering the content, perhaps that very honesty is what makes it so compelling to other young women, trapped in a world of perpetual hypervigilance and overcomplication.
“The Bell Jar” follows Esther Greenwood, a young college student who experiences a slow decline in her mental health from the pressures of modern (for the time) femininity and the lingering threat of her college graduation.
I would go into more detail, but I fear that it would take away from the joy of partaking in such an interesting perspective; besides, the plot is basically synonymous with Esther’s character, so spoiling one would equate to spoiling the other.
Just know that it is highly autobiographical, and as someone who has watched a fair number of documentaries on Sylvia Plath, there are moments that make me think the events of the novel were lived instead of imagined. Plath, too, struggled with her mental health, and shares many key characteristics with Esther – a young Bostonian English major who lost her father at the age of eight and struggles continuously with her mental health. The parallels are too stark to miss.
As for Esther, it is difficult to say she is a likable character. While she certainly has her charms, she also constantly puts other people down in her internal monologue without a reason outside of superficial dislike or petty jealousy.
Not only is she judgmental, but she also sways wildly in her worldview. I have never read of a character quite like Esther. While it is easy to sympathize with her mental struggles, especially as a young college student, myself, she obviously has two sides to herself: the artificial exterior and the mercilessly real interior.
There is never any gray with Esther, as she constantly sways between sweet narcissism and vitriolic insecurity. She feels entirely real, though, which is praise all on its own.
Overall, Esther is the entirety of the book. There is honestly barely anything about it that I remember outside of her. It is almost unnerving how real she feels, a character meant to be fictional but entirely composed of the author in thought, action and appearance.
Esther and “The Bell Jar” are similar to Plath, herself – they are all imperfect and volatile, but in a manner so raw and honest that, at the end of the day, it is hard to find fault with any of the brutality.
To prospective readers, I will say this: beware any and all trigger warnings and remember the unforgiving nature of Plath’s creativity. Some may find offense, and to those of you that do, you may be better off sticking to “Ariel,” my favorite of her two poetry collections.
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