earticle

영어

This paper is to discuss the Esther’s search for identity and her recovery of true self in The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath’s autobiographical novel. Considering the much similarities between the heroine, Esther Greenwood, and the author, Sylvia Plath, Esther’s confusion, depression, and suicide attempt are truly those of Sylvia Plath. As the symbolic title The Bell Jar suggests, the bell jar itself is an glass object shaped like a bell which makes the heroine feel trapped and detached from the society. Throughout the novel, Esther is constantly reminded that her academic abilities and talents are restricted in a male-dominated society. For a woman living in the 1950s, it was very difficult to lead a life that did not involved the identity of the “sweetheart, girlfriend and wife and mother.” However, despite repetitive emotional and psychological trauma, Esther, unlike Sylvia Plath, has succeeded in searching for identity and fully recovered her true self by the end of the novel. (Paichai University)