Introduction
Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" is a haunting and deeply personal novel that explores the struggles of a young woman grappling with mental illness in 1950s America. Published just a month before Plath's tragic suicide, this semi-autobiographical work offers a raw and unflinching look at depression, societal expectations, and the search for identity.
The story follows Esther Greenwood, a talented young writer who finds herself adrift in New York City during a summer internship at a fashion magazine. As Esther navigates the glittering world of 1950s New York, she becomes increasingly disconnected from her surroundings and herself. The novel takes us on a journey through Esther's mind as she descends into depression and eventually attempts suicide, before embarking on a difficult path to recovery.
"The Bell Jar" is more than just a story about mental illness; it's a powerful critique of the limited options available to women in mid-20th century America. Through Esther's experiences, Plath explores themes of identity, sexuality, and the stifling nature of societal expectations. The novel's enduring relevance and its unflinching portrayal of mental health issues have cemented its place as a modern literary classic.
A Summer in New York: Alienation and Disillusionment
The novel opens in the summer of 1953, as Esther Greenwood arrives in New York City for a prestigious internship at Ladies' Day magazine. It's a time of excitement and possibility, but from the very beginning, we sense Esther's disconnection from her surroundings. She describes the summer as "queer" and "sultry," immediately setting a tone of unease and discomfort.
Esther finds herself unable to fully engage with the glamorous world around her. While her fellow interns seem to be thriving, Esther feels increasingly alienated. She observes her peers with a mix of fascination and disdain, unable to relate to their enthusiasm for fashion, parties, and romance.
Two characters in particular highlight Esther's struggle to fit in: Doreen and Betsy. Doreen is a cynical, party-loving girl who represents everything Esther both admires and fears about New York society. Betsy, on the other hand, is sweet and wholesome, embodying the traditional values Esther feels she should aspire to but can't fully embrace. Esther's conflicted feelings towards these two girls reflect her own inner turmoil and uncertainty about her place in the world.
Throughout her time in New York, Esther attempts to find her footing, but she constantly feels like an outsider. She attends parties and dinners, but can't shake the feeling that she's merely playing a role. In one particularly poignant scene, Esther and the other interns suffer from food poisoning after a magazine event. This incident serves as a metaphor for the toxicity of the superficial world Esther finds herself in, and her body's violent rejection of it mirrors her mental state.
Esther's alienation extends to her relationships with men. She goes on dates arranged by the magazine, but these encounters only serve to highlight her feelings of disconnection. In one instance, she creates a false identity, calling herself "Elly Higginbottom" from Chicago, as if trying on a different persona might help her fit in better.
Throughout this section of the novel, Plath masterfully portrays Esther's growing sense of detachment and disillusionment. The glittering facade of New York begins to crack, revealing a world that Esther finds both alluring and deeply unsettling. Her inability to connect with others or find joy in her experiences foreshadows the deeper struggles to come.
The Hypocrisy of Buddy Willard: Confronting Double Standards
As Esther navigates her summer in New York, her thoughts often turn to Buddy Willard, a medical student and her former romantic interest. Through Esther's reflections on their relationship, Plath explores the double standards and hypocrisy that defined gender roles in the 1950s.
Esther had long admired Buddy from afar, seeing him as the epitome of what a young man should be: intelligent, ambitious, and seemingly pure. However, as their relationship progressed, Esther's idealized image of Buddy began to crumble. She discovers that Buddy, despite his clean-cut image, has had sexual experiences with another woman. This revelation shocks Esther, not because of the act itself, but because of the hypocrisy it represents.
In 1950s America, men like Buddy were free to explore their sexuality while still expecting their future wives to remain virgins. This double standard infuriates Esther, who feels trapped by societal expectations of purity and domesticity. Buddy's casual dismissal of his own sexual history while still expecting Esther to be "pure" becomes a symbol of the broader inequalities women faced.
Esther's disillusionment with Buddy extends beyond his sexual hypocrisy. During a visit to Yale Medical School, where Buddy is studying, Esther helps him dissect cadavers and witnesses a woman giving birth. These experiences, far from impressing her with Buddy's future profession, leave her feeling cold and disconnected. The clinical nature of these medical procedures seems to strip away any romance or mystery from life, further contributing to Esther's growing sense of despair.
Perhaps most tellingly, Buddy dismisses Esther's passion for poetry, reducing it to "a piece of dust." This casual belittling of her ambitions reflects the broader societal attitude towards women's intellectual and creative pursuits. Buddy, like many men of his time, sees Esther's writing as a mere hobby, something to be set aside once she fulfills her "real" purpose of becoming a wife and mother.
The ski trip Esther recalls, where Buddy coerces her into attempting a difficult slope resulting in her breaking her leg, serves as a metaphor for their entire relationship. Buddy pushes Esther into situations she's not comfortable with, disregarding her feelings and autonomy, all while maintaining a facade of care and concern.
Through Esther's experiences with Buddy, Plath paints a damning picture of the limitations placed on women in the 1950s. The expectation that women should be pure, domestic, and subservient to men's ambitions is shown to be not only unfair but deeply damaging to women's sense of self and potential. Esther's rejection of Buddy and her declaration that she never wants to get married can be seen as an act of rebellion against these stifling norms.
A Diamond in the Dirt: The End of the New York Dream
As Esther's internship in New York draws to a close, her sense of alienation and despair reaches a crescendo. The final days in the city are marked by a series of events that highlight Esther's growing disconnect from the world around her and her struggle to find her place within it.
The photoshoot arranged by the magazine serves as a poignant illustration of Esther's uncertainty about her future. While the other girls easily choose objects representing their ambitions, Esther is paralyzed by indecision. When her boss, Jay Cee, hands her a paper rose to represent her future as a poet, Esther begins to cry. This moment encapsulates her fear that her dreams of becoming a writer are as fragile and artificial as the paper flower.
Esther's final night in New York takes a dark turn when she goes on a blind date with Marco, a Peruvian man introduced to her by Doreen. What starts as a seemingly glamorous evening, complete with Marco gifting Esther a diamond stickpin, quickly devolves into a nightmare. Marco's assault of Esther, tearing her dress and pushing her to the ground, serves as a brutal metaphor for the violence lurking beneath the glittering surface of New York society.
In a powerful act of symbolism, Esther throws her expensive clothes off the roof of her hotel. This gesture represents her rejection of the superficial world she's been immersed in and the various personas she's tried on during her time in the city. By shedding these material trappings, Esther is also shedding the expectations placed upon her as a young woman in 1950s America.
Esther's return home marks the beginning of a deeper descent into depression. The news that she hasn't been accepted into a prestigious summer writing program crushes her hopes for the future. Trapped in the suburbs with no clear direction, Esther's mental state deteriorates rapidly. She struggles with basic tasks like sleeping, eating, and reading, and becomes increasingly preoccupied with thoughts of death.
The contrast between Esther's inner turmoil and her mother's lack of understanding highlights the generational gap and the isolation Esther feels. Her mother's well-meaning but misguided attempts to help only serve to deepen Esther's sense of alienation. The referral to a psychiatrist marks a turning point in the novel, as Esther's private struggles begin to be acknowledged by those around her.
This section of the novel powerfully illustrates the crushing weight of expectations placed on young women in the 1950s. Esther's inability to conform to societal norms or find fulfillment in the roles available to her leads to a profound crisis of identity. Her descent into depression is portrayed not just as a personal struggle, but as a reaction to the limited options and stifling expectations of her time.
In One Sweeping Tide: The Descent into Depression
As Esther returns home from New York, her mental state deteriorates rapidly. Plath's vivid and often disturbing descriptions of Esther's descent into depression provide a harrowing insight into the experience of mental illness.
Esther's visit to Dr. Gordon marks her first encounter with professional psychiatric help. However, far from providing relief, this experience only adds to Esther's sense of alienation and despair. Dr. Gordon's suave demeanor and lack of empathy leave Esther feeling misunderstood and invalidated. The suggestion of electroshock therapy, a common but controversial treatment in the 1950s, introduces a new element of fear and uncertainty into Esther's already fragile state.
The electroshock treatments themselves are described in brutal detail, highlighting the often inhumane nature of psychiatric care at the time. Esther's question, "I wondered what terrible thing it was that I had done," reveals her internalized guilt and the societal tendency to view mental illness as a moral failing rather than a medical condition.
As the treatments continue, Esther's narrative becomes increasingly disjointed and dreamlike, mirroring her deteriorating mental state. She begins to contemplate suicide, researching different methods with a detached curiosity that is both chilling and heartbreaking. Plath's unflinching portrayal of Esther's suicidal thoughts provides a raw and honest look at the depths of depression.
Esther's suicide attempts escalate from tentative experiments to a serious, planned attempt. Her description of swimming out as far as she can at the beach, trying to strangle herself with her mother's bathrobe cord, and cutting herself in the bathtub are all portrayed with a disturbing matter-of-factness. These acts seem to Esther like logical steps in her journey towards death.
The final suicide attempt, where Esther hides in a crawl space and takes a bottle of sleeping pills, is described in haunting detail. As she loses consciousness, Esther feels like she's being swept away by a great tide. This imagery of being carried away by forces beyond her control perfectly captures the overwhelming nature of her depression.
Throughout this section, Plath's writing style mirrors Esther's mental state. The prose becomes more fragmented and dreamlike, with vivid, often disturbing imagery. This technique allows readers to experience Esther's descent into depression in a visceral, immediate way.
The portrayal of Esther's suicide attempts is particularly poignant given Plath's own history of depression and suicide attempts. The author's personal experiences lend an authenticity and depth to Esther's struggles that make them all the more affecting.
This part of the novel also highlights the inadequacies of mental health care in the 1950s. The brutal electroshock treatments, the lack of understanding from family and medical professionals, and the general stigma surrounding mental illness all contribute to Esther's worsening condition. Through Esther's experiences, Plath offers a critique of a system that often did more harm than good to those it was meant to help.
The Bell Jar: Institutionalization and the Search for Identity
After her suicide attempt, Esther awakens in a hospital, marking the beginning of her journey through the mental health system of the 1950s. This section of the novel provides a stark and often disturbing look at psychiatric care of the era, while also exploring Esther's ongoing struggle with her identity and place in the world.
Esther's initial confusion upon waking, believing she's gone blind, symbolizes her disconnection from reality and her struggle to "see" a way forward. Her violent reaction to seeing her disfigured face in a mirror - breaking the glass - represents her rejection of her own identity and her inability to reconcile her inner turmoil with her outward appearance.
The transfer to a state hospital exposes Esther to a cross-section of society's "misfits." Plath's descriptions of the patients and their interactions with staff are both darkly humorous and deeply sad, highlighting the often dehumanizing nature of institutional care. Esther's resistance to treatment reflects her ongoing struggle against societal norms and expectations.
The intervention of Philomena Guinea, the wealthy writer funding Esther's scholarship, provides a lifeline in the form of transfer to a private psychiatric hospital. This moment underscores the role of class and privilege in accessing quality mental health care, a critique that remains relevant today.
It's during the car ride to the private hospital that Esther articulates the metaphor that gives the novel its title. She describes her depression as being trapped under a bell jar, "stewing in my own sour air." This powerful image encapsulates the isolating nature of mental illness, the feeling of being cut off from the world while still being able to see it.
At the private hospital, Esther encounters Dr. Nolan, a female psychiatrist who becomes a pivotal figure in her recovery. Dr. Nolan represents a more compassionate and understanding approach to mental health care, contrasting sharply with Esther's previous experiences. However, even Dr. Nolan's methods are not without their controversies, as seen in the continued use of insulin shock therapy and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
The arrival of Joan, Esther's former classmate and Buddy's ex-girlfriend, at the hospital adds another layer to Esther's journey. Joan serves as a kind of mirror for Esther, reflecting her own struggles and forcing her to confront uncomfortable truths about herself. Joan's eventual suicide becomes a turning point for Esther, allowing her to affirm her own will to live.
Throughout her time in the hospital, Esther continues to grapple with societal expectations and her own desires. Her decision to get fitted for a diaphragm represents a small act of rebellion against the sexual double standards of the time and a step towards taking control of her own body and future.
The novel's conclusion, with Esther preparing for an interview that will determine her release from the hospital, is ambiguous. While there's a sense of hope as Esther affirms her existence ("I am, I am, I am"), there's also an underlying uncertainty about what the future holds for her in a world that still operates under the restrictive norms she's been struggling against.
Final Thoughts: Breaking Free from the Bell Jar
"The Bell Jar" is a powerful exploration of mental illness, societal expectations, and the search for identity in a world that often seems hostile to individuality, especially for women. Through Esther's journey, Sylvia Plath offers a searing critique of 1950s America and the limited options available to women at the time.
The novel's enduring relevance lies in its unflinching portrayal of depression and the struggle for self-discovery. Esther's experiences, from her disillusionment with the glamorous world of New York fashion to her harrowing descent into suicidal depression, are described with a raw honesty that continues to resonate with readers today.
Plath's use of the bell jar as a metaphor for depression is particularly powerful. The image of being trapped under glass, able to see the world but unable to fully participate in it, perfectly captures the isolating nature of mental illness. It also serves as a broader metaphor for the stifling nature of societal expectations, particularly for women in the mid-20th century.
The novel's treatment of gender roles and expectations is ahead of its time. Through Esther's relationships with characters like Buddy Willard and her observations of the women around her, Plath exposes the hypocrisy and limitations of traditional gender roles. Esther's resistance to marriage and motherhood, her pursuit of a career in writing, and her desire for sexual freedom all challenge the norms of her time.
The portrayal of mental health treatment in the 1950s serves as both a historical document and a critique of the medical establishment. From the brutal electroshock treatments to the more compassionate but still problematic care Esther receives later, the novel highlights the often dehumanizing nature of psychiatric care at the time. It also raises questions about the relationship between societal pressures and mental illness, suggesting that Esther's breakdown is as much a product of her environment as it is a personal struggle.
While the novel ends on a note of cautious optimism, with Esther preparing to leave the hospital, it's clear that her journey is far from over. The world she's returning to is still the same one that contributed to her breakdown, and the question of whether she'll be able to truly break free from the bell jar remains open.
In many ways, "The Bell Jar" can be read as a call for change. Through Esther's experiences, Plath highlights the need for better understanding and treatment of mental illness, more options for women beyond traditional roles, and a society that values individuality and personal fulfillment over conformity.
The semi-autobiographical nature of the novel adds another layer of poignancy to the story, especially given Plath's tragic death by suicide shortly after its publication. While it's important to separate the author from her work, knowing Plath's personal struggles with depression inevitably colors our reading of Esther's journey.
In conclusion, "The Bell Jar" remains a powerful and important work of literature. Its honest portrayal of mental illness, its critique of societal norms, and its exploration of a young woman's search for identity continue to resonate with readers today. The novel serves as both a time capsule of 1950s America and a timeless exploration of the human struggle for self-discovery and authenticity in the face of societal pressures and personal demons.
Esther's journey under and potentially out of the bell jar is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the ongoing struggle for personal freedom and self-realization. As we close the book, we're left with a mix of hope and uncertainty, much like Esther herself as she steps into her future. The bell jar may lift, but the work of maintaining one's sense of self in a challenging world is never truly finished.