A Journey From Madness To Womanhood: An Analysis Of Sylvia Plath’sthe Bell Jar

Abstract

In the 1950s, American culture largely disregarded the distinctive personalities of women. Even during the height of postwar capitalism, people were still permitted to work and make money. However, moving up the social scale was not considered suitable for women. They were expected to adhere to rigid social conventions even prior to marriage. Many people think that the institution of marriage is the most powerful foundation of patriarchal ideology. Sylvia Plath's 1964 novel, The Bell Jar, which was first released in 1963, addresses the issue of female exploitation that is fundamental to the institution of marriage. It seems like women are being protected by this organization. Male members of the organization claim that the organization was established to defend women. The goal is to get them into the workforce and out of the house. More specifically, it was meant to reassure males and keep women in their households. The idea is to provide men a tidy, well-maintained, calm, and pleasant home to come home to after a long day at work. According to this viewpoint, males are assigned dominant jobs and women submissive ones. This paper will analyze how mental illness is portrayed in The Bell Jar from a feminist standpoint, highlighting the dual perceptions that women have of themselves in public: as mad or as feminine. This paper also argues that, despite some research linking her insanity to her rejection of femininity, her rejection of femininity is an intentional decision that leads to artistic freedom.