Oppresed women's voices : an examination of Sylvia path's The Bell Jar and selected poems

Abstract

During the late twentieth century America women faced many challenges. After the two World Wars they feel the urge to work outside. Their need of separate identity encouraged them to look for new opportunities. At this point, literature became a source that helped them to release their inner private feelings. But the patriarchal society provides almost no support to the women of late twentieth century America. Furthermore, the society often criticized women for their contribution in literature. For instance, being a woman it was difficult for Sylvia Plath to establish herself as a writer. As a result, she suffered from many difficulties both in her personal and professional life. So, Plath's writing became a source of conveying her frustration, rage, deception and betrayal to the readers of her works. Through her writing Plath captured the complex world of a woman's mind that is equally influenced by social oppressions. Women in order to keep balance between their private and public lives suffer from anxiety and depression. In this paper I have made an attempt to present how Sylvia Plath's poetic creations reflect the narrow and rigid patriarchal society that try to undermine women as individuals and artists.