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Showing posts from July, 2012

Book Review: Depression in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar

In Depression in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar , which forms part of the Greenhaven Press' Social Issues in Literature series and edited was by Dedria Bryfonski, readers will find a mixture of excerpts of previously published "viewpoints" on Plath's lone published novel. The book begins with a brief Introduction and Chronology before launching into the recycled content broken into three chapters: Background on Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar and Depression, and Contemporary Perspectives on Depression. Chapter 1 includes "The Life of Sylvia Plath" by Timothy Materer, "Sylvia Plath Was the Personification of American Literature" by Ted Hughes, as told to Drue Heinz, "Sylvia Plath Was a Shining Intellect and a Superb Student" by Dorothea Krook, and "Sylvia Plath's Depression Was Inherited" by Jane Feinmann. I should say that these chapter titles are not the original titles under which the excerpts were printed, but merely s

Picture Post: Reading Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar at McLean

This just felt wrong to do, but could not be avoided. Reading Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar in front of North Belknap House, McLean Hospital. If you benefited from this post or any content on the Sylvia Plath Info Blog, my website for Sylvia Plath ( A celebration, this is ), and @sylviaplathinfo on Twitter , then please consider sending me a tip via PayPal . Thank you for at least considering! All funds will be put towards my Sylvia Plath research.

Further Update re: Sylvia Plath 2012 Symposium

Following up to the update post from 11 July 2012 regarding the Sylvia Plath 2012 Symposium, just thought you might want to know that some of the panels have been expanded or modified in some way based on subsequent abstract submissions and the general craziness of organizing such an event. The Plath and motherhood is now: Plath and Motherhood/Domesticity The Plath and Sexton/Plath and Hughes texts is now two panels: Plath and Sexton/Lowell and Plath and Hughes/The Two Ariel s and a new category for these (instead of other Plath works): Plath's effects and influences The Bell Jar and Transitional Poems More updates will be made as they are known and necessary. Thanks for reading!

Putting Sylvia Plath's "Context" in Context

In February 1962, the London Magazine printed Sylvia Plath's poem "In Plaster," which she composed on March 18, 1961 - the same day as "Tulips." In addition to the poem, London Magazine printed twenty-six writers responses to a series of questions under the collective title "Context." We know Plath's response memorably begins, "The issues of our time which preoccupy me at the moment are the incalculable genetic effects of fallout and a documentary article on the terrifying, mad, omnipotent marriage of big business and the military in America-"Juggernaut, The Warfare State," by Fred J. Cook in a recent Nation." But did you ever wonder to what specifically Plath was replying? See below: The twenty-six responses were submitted by (in order of appearance in the issue): Robert Graves, George Seferis, Stephen Spender, C. Day Lewis, Philip Larkin, Lawrence Durrell, Roy Fuller, Robert Conquest, Laurie Lee, Thomas Blackburn,

Update to Sylvia Plath 2012 Symposium

Many of this blog's readers might be interested in an update on the Sylvia Plath 2012 Symposium to be held in October at Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana. Well, you will be satisfied by this post I hope. Please note that abstracts to present a paper on a panel are still being accepted and will be considered through September, or until spaces are all filled. If you do not yet have your full abstract, but plan to attend, please send the topic heading asap to Kathleen Connors at plath70ATindianaDOTedu. Sylvia Plath Symposium 2012 confirmed featured speakers to date: Janet Badia on Ms. Magazine 's contribution to Plath readership Catherine Bowman on poetic process; use of the Plath archives Tracy Brain on Plath and the medical world Bill Buckley on five years of publishing Plath Profiles journal and international participants Lynda K. Bundtzen on Plath's 1958 poems and the unconscious, the Bee Sequence poems, and "A Self to Recover" exhibition