“It’s quite amazing how I’ve gone around for most of my life as in the
rarefied atmosphere under a bell jar.” (Plath, Sylvia: The Bell Jar. New York. Harper Collins Publishers 1996, p. 250) Although uttered by Sylvia Plath, this statement fully applies for the protagonist Esther Greenwood
in Plath’s novel The Bell Jar. It exemplifies her feeling of being imprisoned in a world and society she can neither accept nor reject and further reveals the identification of author and protagonist. Both Plath and Esther suffer from living under this sort of glass bell jar which makes it hard for them to breathe and to break free from the regulations of contemporary society. The author Sylvia Plath herself has experienced most of the events in the novel, including psychological disease, depression and suicide attempts. Moreover, most of the characters in The Bell Jar are based on people Plath knew and loved, although she often draws caricatures or uses the device of irony when describing them. Plath’s intention was “to show how isolated a person feels when he is suffering a breakdown” (p.262) but we never completely come to know why this breakdown occurs, which almost leads to her destruction and drives her into madness and the asylum. What we do know, however, is that Esther doubts the traditional way of a woman’s life in the 1950s which means marrying a respectful man, having children and being an obedient housewife. She can hardly decide which way of life to choose and experiences a strong inner conflict between her wish of leading the life of a poet and that of a loving wife and mother. This conflict leads to a fracture in Esther’s inner
self, to diminished self-assurance and false made-up selves. Esther’s mother, although seemingly playing a passive role in the novel, has a significant influence on her daughter’s way of thinking, on her doubt of social values and to a certain extent even on her psychological disease which derives
from her inner disorder. In the following, I will try to analyze the importance and influence of Esther’s relationship to her mother Mrs. Greenwood in the course of the story. In doing so, I will also examine the meaning of maternal bonds in reference to a couple of further female relationships in the novel. Moreover, I will dwell on Esther’s doubt and partial rejection of social and traditional values of her time, most
of which are embodied by her mother. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Influence of the Mother-Daughter Relationship
2.1 Esther's Rebellion against Traditional Values
2.2 The Search for Alternative Maternal Bonds
2.3 The Impact of the Mother on Esther's Mental Health
3. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the complex and often destructive relationship between Esther Greenwood and her mother, Mrs. Greenwood, in Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar. It investigates how this maternal bond serves as a catalyst for Esther's identity crisis, her resistance to 1950s gender norms, and her eventual descent into madness.
- The role of the mother as a conflicting model of traditional femininity.
- Esther's struggle between intellectual ambition and societal expectations.
- The identification of substitute mother figures, such as Jay Cee and Doctor Nolan.
- The projection of Esther’s psychological dissatisfaction onto her maternal relationship.
- Analysis of symbolic elements including shorthand, domestic life, and the asylum.
Excerpt from the Book
The Significance of Maternal Relationships in Sylvia Plath’s Novel The Bell Jar
In the following, I will try to analyze the importance and influence of Esther’s relationship to her mother Mrs. Greenwood in the course of the story. In doing so, I will also examine the meaning of maternal bonds in reference to a couple of further female relationships in the novel. Moreover, I will dwell on Esther’s doubt and partial rejection of social and traditional values of her time, most of which are embodied by her mother.
For all her life, Esther has got the urge to be her own self, regardless of what others expect her to be. In public, however, she wears a mask, builds up a facade and takes on the roles others expect her to play although her inner self strongly rejects these roles. Esther never feels integrated, she criticizes the superficial world of cover girls and fashionable magazines. Nevertheless, she also belongs to this world and works for a fashion magazine in New York. Whereas she rejects the traditional life of a mother and wife, which seems boring to her, she at the same time thinks about what it is like being married and having children. She is looking for the woman inside of her and wants to find out what it means to be a woman in contemporary society, while at the same time she is torn by this burden. However the person who is closest to her, which is her mother, cannot fulfill her duty as a role model but rather seems to be a terrifying presence for her daughter.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the protagonist Esther Greenwood and establishes the central conflict regarding her identification with her mother and the societal pressures of the 1950s.
2. The Influence of the Mother-Daughter Relationship: This section provides a detailed analysis of how Esther rejects her mother's values, her search for healthier role models like Jay Cee and Doctor Nolan, and the link between this strained relationship and Esther's mental deterioration.
3. Conclusion: This section synthesizes the findings, confirming that while Mrs. Greenwood loves her daughter, her inability to understand Esther's needs forces the protagonist to seek maternal affirmation elsewhere, ultimately driving her toward her breakdown.
Keywords
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood, Mother-Daughter Relationship, 1950s Gender Roles, Identity Crisis, Mental Health, Depression, Maternal Bond, Role Models, Societal Expectations, Femininity, Psychoanalysis, Adolescence, Domesticity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper explores the significant and often negative influence of Esther Greenwood's relationship with her mother on the protagonist's development and mental stability in Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include the conflict between traditional domestic expectations and intellectual ambitions, the feeling of entrapment in societal norms, the search for authentic identity, and the impact of the mother-daughter dynamic on psychological health.
What is the main research question being investigated?
The research asks how Mrs. Greenwood's embodiment of 1950s traditional values impacts Esther's sense of self and to what extent this failed maternal bond contributes to Esther's mental breakdown.
What methodology is used to analyze the novel?
The paper utilizes a literary-analytical approach, focusing on close reading of the text, character analysis, and thematic examination of the protagonist's internal and external conflicts.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body examines Esther's rebellion against her mother, her disillusionment with traditional marriage and career paths, her psychological projections, and her eventual search for surrogate mother figures like Doctor Nolan.
Which key terms characterize this analysis?
The analysis is characterized by terms such as mother-daughter bond, societal pressure, identity, madness, feminism, and role models.
Why does Esther reject the learning of shorthand?
Esther views shorthand as a symbol of the restricted domestic life she wishes to escape, representing a career path that would force her into the subordinate role of a secretary rather than a professional writer.
How does the role of Doctor Nolan differ from that of Mrs. Greenwood?
While Mrs. Greenwood represents rigid, traditional expectations and tries to "unthink" Esther's problems, Doctor Nolan is presented as a progressive, nurturing, and understanding maternal figure who supports Esther's journey toward sanity.
- Quote paper
- Julia Deitermann (Author), 2004, The Significance of Maternal Relationships in Sylvia Plath's Novel "The Bell Jar", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/61103
