The Amazing Individuality of the Life and Works of Sylvia Plath Essay Example

to three poems per day during her writing rampages, while other times it would take her weeks to complete a poem. "Mirror" is an excellent example of one of her best poems, depicting the American theme of the pursuit of individualism and liberty.

The depiction of the struggle for identity and liberty is prominent in all literary works, particularly in The Bell Jar. Plath's art did not hide her aggression, hostility, and despair, marking her as a pioneer among many women writers who followed the tradition. Martin (5) acknowledges that The Bell Jar is a testament to Plath's ability to fearlessly showcase the journey of Esther Greenwood from a girl to a woman who grapples with existence in the world. This courageous novel stands apart in its honest portrayal of the struggles faced by women in their pursuit of understanding their lives.

While working as an intern at a fashion magazine, Esther's experiences bore similarities to Plath's time at Mademoiselle. Later, she realized the need to forge her own path before suffering a devastating blow upon returning home to Boston - rejection from a writing program at Harvard. After slipping into deep depression, she attempted suicide with sleeping pills, much like Plath had in her own past. Seeking help, Esther entered a private facility where she encountered Joan Gilling and underwent further shock treatment, despite her fear of repeating past traumatic experiences. Joan eventually left the institution but returned after taking Esther to the hospital for a severe hemorrhage caused by sexual activity.

Joan was reported missing and later found dead by hanging. Shortly after, Esther was ready to leave the hospital but was apprehensive about

the future. However, with a positive attitude, she left "patched, retreated, and approved for the road (Plath 275)." Sylvia Plath's defiance of societal expectations that women should not express anger is evident in her writing, which also reveals her hostility (Martin 3). The Bell Jar provides additional examples of Plath's character and emotions. Distinguishing truth from fiction in Plath's life is challenging.

Some critics fail to recognize Plath's talent as an independent writer and only focus on her disturbed and gloomy side. They criticize her interest in pain and suffering, and suggest that publishing The Bell Jar was both sadistic and self-indulgent. These critics overlook the fact that Plath's father's death was traumatic for her, leading her to use writing as a means of coping with her manic depression. Unfortunately, it is clear that writing this novel did not result in healing for Plath. Instead, it left her feeling even more depressed than before (Hardwick 1; Ames 7).

Despite leaving the reader with confusion regarding its description, Plath's poem "Mirror" ultimately discloses the speaker's identity. Plath deliberately made the poem purposefully ambiguous, serving both as a literal description of a mirror and a metaphorical representation of poetry itself (Johnson 1). Through personification in the first line, "I am silver and exact/I have no preconceptions," Plath gives a sense of life to an object that is lifeless. The mirror is granted the ability to contemplate and remain impartial, setting it apart from human perception.

Sylvia Plath's poem is composed of two stanzas that contain a metaphor within another. The mirror symbolizes a reflection of either poetry or the human being, and is also compared to a lake figuratively.

The poem's layout creates a mirroring effect, with the same size and "four cornered" shape (Johnson 4) being reflected in each stanza. Additionally, the poet suggests that the poem may have a straightforward meaning, such as a woman gazing into a mirror over time to determine if what she sees truly reflects her image. Understanding the difficulties which Sylvia Plath endured is essential when analyzing or evaluating her literary works.

Despite the morbid details in The Bell Jar, I found it to be a moving and admirable book. Sylvia Plath's courage in writing about personal experiences is significant, as it allows for more diverse representation of women and opens doors for others. While some may see Plath's work as a failure, I view her decision to end her life at the pinnacle of her creativity as a fact. "Mirror" is a comparatively pleasant poem in Ariel, as opposed to the melancholic "Daddy" and "Lady Lazarus". Although it may be difficult to see "Mirror" as a reflection of poetry itself, I agree that Plath intended for it to have a deeper meaning beyond just reflecting one's image.

In my opinion, I relate to the woman in the poem and think that everyone can too. Evaluating a poet is not only challenging but also highly debatable as it is always based on personal perspectives. Nevertheless, it's clear that both critics and readers of today are impacted by Sylvia Plath's "Mirror" and The Bell Jar, portraying her quest for individualism and liberty, regardless of any unfavorable or favorable assessments.