Sylvia Plath

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Sylvia Plath
Born	Sylvia Plath (1932-10-27)October 27, 1932 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	February 11, 1963(1963-02-11) (aged 30) London, England
Occupation	Poet, novelist, short story writer
Language	English
Nationality	American
Education	Smith College, Newnham College, Cambridge
Period	1950–1963
Genre	Poetry, fiction
Notable works	The Bell Jar, Ariel
Spouse	Ted Hughes (m. 1956; div. 1963)
Children	2
Signature

Sylvia Plath (October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. She is best known for her confessional style of writing and her works that explore themes of mental illness, depression, and the struggles of women in the mid-20th century.

Early Life

Sylvia Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Otto Plath, a professor of biology, and Aurelia Schober Plath, a high school teacher. She showed early promise as a writer, publishing her first poem at the age of eight. Plath attended Smith College on a scholarship and later studied at Newnham College, Cambridge on a Fulbright Scholarship.

Career

Plath's writing career began in earnest during her college years. She published numerous poems and short stories in various magazines and journals. Her first collection of poetry, The Colossus and Other Poems, was published in 1960. Plath's only novel, The Bell Jar, was published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas in 1963. The novel is a semi-autobiographical account of a young woman's mental breakdown and recovery.

Personal Life

In 1956, Plath married the English poet Ted Hughes. The couple had two children, Frieda and Nicholas. Their marriage was tumultuous, marked by infidelity and Plath's ongoing struggles with mental illness. They separated in late 1962.

Death

Sylvia Plath died by suicide on February 11, 1963, in her London home. Her death has been the subject of much speculation and analysis, often linked to her struggles with depression and the difficulties in her personal life.

Legacy

Plath's work has had a lasting impact on literature and feminist thought. Her posthumous collection, Ariel, published in 1965, is considered one of her most important works. Plath's writing continues to be studied and celebrated for its emotional depth and technical skill.

Selected Works

• The Colossus and Other Poems (1960)
• The Bell Jar (1963)
• Ariel (1965, posthumous)
• Crossing the Water (1971, posthumous)
• Winter Trees (1971, posthumous)

Related Pages

• Ted Hughes
• Confessional poetry
• The Bell Jar
• Ariel (poetry collection)
• Smith College
• Newnham College, Cambridge