1. Introduction
Madness is an important aspect in literature - especially madness of female writers respectively madness of female chief characters is interesting to deal with concerning the social role of women in the cause of time.
It [madness] is that state of mind where a person’s feelings or beliefs about himself […] are completely disrupted, making him unable to function in whatever social role – husband, parent, friend, employee – he might expect to enjoy. It is the state where the sufferer passes beyond the bounds of reality, intelligibility, and rationality as defined by the bulk of society. The psychotic is a stranger among his own people. (Nettle 12)
A character consistent to this definition of madness is Esther Greenwood in Silvia Plath’s autobiographical novel The Bell Jar which was published 1963. Being a young intelligent woman, Esther becomes mad as a result of the mental stress to conform to the traditional role of women or to break tradition. Esther Greenwood is passive and unable to be agent of her life. Never having learned how to develop herself as an independent individual, she is dependent on others and follows their ideals of a fulfilling life. She is torn between starting a family and starting a career. According to this, The Bell Jar reveals the difficulty of becoming an adult, by breaking tradition to be able to realize one’s personal scheme of life. As Susan Bassnett points out, “The Bell Jar is a novel about a suicide attempt that fails; but it is also a novel about a woman who learns how to live with herself and how to come to terms with the world, that world of destruction and horror […]” (Bassnett 122).
As the story of Esther Greenwood’s madness is full of interesting symbols and motifs, it is unfortunately impossible to deal with the whole of them. Consequently this paper will focus on few aspects revealing the split identity of Esther Greenwood and show the process of her recovery as well. These basic motifs are: the fig-tree, the fake identity she builds up and the motif of the bell jar. They will be discussed in the context of Esther’s mental illness...
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Motif of the Fig-Tree
3. The Fake Identities of Esther Greenwood
3.1 The Consciously Created Identities
3.2 The Unconsciously Created Identities
4. The Motif of the Bell Jar
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the split identity of the protagonist Esther Greenwood in Sylvia Plath's novel "The Bell Jar," analyzing how her mental illness manifests through various symbolic motifs and her inability to conform to societal expectations.
- The psychological impact of traditional gender roles in the 1950s.
- Symbolic interpretation of the fig-tree as a representation of indecision.
- Development of conscious and unconscious fake identities as coping mechanisms.
- The mirror as a device for reflecting alienation and the loss of self.
- The significance of the bell jar motif in the context of recovery and mental imprisonment.
Excerpt from the Book
2. The Motif of the Fig-Tree
I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig-tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and off-beat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig-tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet. (Plath 73)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the concept of madness in a literary context and introduces Esther Greenwood's struggle with societal expectations and her subsequent mental decline.
2. The Motif of the Fig-Tree: This chapter analyzes the fig-tree as a central symbol for Esther's paralysis of choice and her inability to reconcile conflicting life paths.
3. The Fake Identities of Esther Greenwood: This section explores how Esther constructs both conscious and unconscious personas to shield herself from the pressures of her reality.
4. The Motif of the Bell Jar: This chapter discusses the titular motif as a representation of Esther's alienated, inner world and her path toward therapeutic recovery.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that Esther's journey reflects a broader struggle for self-acceptance amidst the restrictive structures of society.
Keywords
Esther Greenwood, The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath, Split Identity, Madness, Fig-Tree, Bell Jar Motif, Mental Illness, Female Identity, 1950s Gender Roles, Alienation, Psychological Recovery, Literature Analysis, Symbolism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the split identity of Esther Greenwood in Sylvia Plath's novel "The Bell Jar," specifically analyzing her psychological struggle and the symbolic motifs that define her illness and recovery.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include the pressures of traditional female roles, the manifestation of mental health issues through symbols, the construction of false identities, and the process of self-actualization.
What is the main research question or goal?
The goal is to examine how symbolic motifs—such as the fig-tree, the mirror, and the bell jar—reveal Esther's fractured identity and her subsequent development toward mental recovery.
Which scientific or analytical methods are applied?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing upon definitions of madness by Nettle and interpreting symbols through the lens of secondary literary criticism.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body systematically explores Esther's inability to choose a life path, the creation of alter egos like Elly Higginbottom, the mirroring of her self through other characters like Joan, and the transformative power of therapy.
Which keywords define this paper's subject matter?
Key terms include "The Bell Jar," "split identity," "symbolism," "mental illness," "societal expectations," and "recovery process."
How does the "fig-tree" motif specifically represent Esther's condition?
The fig-tree symbolizes her paralysis caused by having too many life options, where picking one requires sacrificing all others, leading to her metaphorical "starving" to death.
What is the significance of the "bell jar" appearing as a motif?
The bell jar serves as a symbol of her alienation from society, representing a clear separation between her inner world and reality, which eventually lifts as she makes progress in therapy.
How does the mirror motif evolve throughout the story?
The mirror reflections change from a "smudgy-eyed Chinese woman" to a "sick Indian," visualizing Esther's shifting feelings of being an outsider and her progressive loss and eventual reclamation of identity.
Why is the character of Joan important to Esther's development?
Joan acts as a mirror image of Esther's "old self," and her eventual suicide allows Esther to symbolically bury her past, facilitating a sense of newfound freedom and progression in her recovery.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Schommer (Author), 2008, The split identity of Esther Greenwood in Silvia Plath's "The Bell Jar", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/94536
