The Cambridge introduction to Sylvia Plath / Jo Gill.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gill, Jo, 1965-

Series:

Cambridge introductions to literature

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Plath, Sylvia--Criticism and interpretation.

Plath, Sylvia.

Women and literature--United States--History--20th century.

Women and literature.

Criticism and interpretation.

United States.

History.

Physical Description:

xiii, 152 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Summary:

Sylvia Plath is widely recognised as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century Anglo-American literature and culture. Her work has constantly remained in print in the UK and USA (and in numerous translated editions) since the appearance of her first collection in 1960. Plath's own writing has been supplemented over the decades by a wealth of critical and biographical material. This introduction provides an authoritative and comprehensive guide to her poetry, prose and autobiographical writings. It offers a critical overview of key readings, debates and issues from almost fifty years of Plath scholarship; draws attention to the historical, literary, national and gender contexts which frame her writing; and provides informed and attentive readings of her own work. Accessibly written, this book will be of great use to students beginning their explorations of this important writer. This book covers: Life, Contexts, Works, Reception.

Contents:

Abbreviations and textual note xii

1 Life 1

Family 1

Marriage 7

England 10

2 Contexts 14

Literary contexts 15

'Poetess of America' 17

Confessional poetry 19

Historical and ideological contexts 21

World War II 22

Postwar cultures 24

Domesticity and the suburbs 26

England 28

3 Early poetry 29

Juvenilia and other early poems 30

English influences 33

The Colossus 35

Creativity and self-creation 40

Crossing the Water 43

Transformation and change 44

Displacement 49

4 Ariel and later poetry 51

Ariel 53

Echoes 53

The bee sequence, 'Lady Lazarus' and 'Daddy' 58

Ariel: The Restored Edition 64

Winter Trees and other late poems 66

Three Women 69

5 The Bell Jar and Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams 73

The Bell Jar 73

Narrative voice 78

The double 79

Subjectivity 83

Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams 84

Value 85

English stories 90

America 91

6 Letters Home and Journals 93

Letters Home 93

Rendering account 97

Leaving home 100

The Journals of Sylvia Plath 101

The Journals of Sylvia Plath (1982): the abridged edition 101

Masks 104

The Journals of Sylvia Plath (2000): the unabridged edition 105

7 Reception 111

Biography 111

Confessional 115

Mythology 117

Feminist readings 119

Psychoanalytical approaches 123

History and politics 125

New directions 128.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 129-145) and index.

ISBN:

9780521867269

0521867266

9780521686952

0521686954

OCLC:

227031767