At its centre, Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’ is an exploration of the human condition. Set in the 1950s, at a time where women were expected to conform to societal norms, roles, and expectations, it seeks to examine the challenges of finding meaning in a world that often attempts to define us, while highlighting the psychological toll this can bring. Throughout the novel Plath explores themes of existentialism, feminist philosophy, and the ultimate pursuit of authenticity, all of which are displayed through the protagonist’s struggle for meaningful existence.
One of the most prominent ways Plath explores the concepts within ‘The Bell Jar’ is through existential philosophy. The novel revolves around the protagonist’s existential dilemma, with Esther’s descent into mental ill-health stemming from a confrontation with her own existence. Esther is an ambitious and intelligent young woman, one who finds the structures of her life profoundly unsatisfying. This discontent reflects existentialist thought often found in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre and many other philosophers, who argue that life has no inherent meaning, and that individuals must forge their own purpose in an absurd world. Esther feels the trappings of this absurdity when faced with life choices that seem equally devoid of meaning. The famous fig tree metaphor illustrates her sense of paralysis in the face of seemingly endless paths to take, each promising the meaning she desires but requiring the elimination of other possibilities. Her inability to choose results in the imaginary figs withering and dropping to the ground, symbolising the opportunities she feels she has lost and resulting in a sense of existential despair.
‘The Bell Jar’ is often read through the lens of second-wave feminism, a period of feminist activity beginning in the early 1960s and lasting roughly two decades. Esther grapples with the limited roles available to women in the 1950s, and the binary between intellect and immobility, purity and promiscuity. Her aversion to the societal expectations of marriage and motherhood, which she describes as a “dreary and wasted life,” combined with her ambition to become a poet, inevitably pits her against a society that offers little to no space for women’s professional and personal autonomy. Plath’s depiction of Esther’s fears of living a life of domesticity, and by extension submission, aligns the novel with feminist critiques of patriarchal structures and the pressure women feel from society’s standards of femininity, which restrict Esther’s desires to write poetry and thus contribute to her internal conflict.
Finally, another recurring theme in ‘The Bell Jar’ is the line between appearance and reality. Esther is trapped by a society obsessed with superficiality and the illusion of success, and feels a disconnect between her inner world and the ideals imposed on her. Her disillusionment is a critique of the inauthenticity that leads to her sense of alienation from a society that demands her compliance. While Esther initially judges her peers for their perceived conformity and shallow pursuits, she later sees them as trapped in ‘bell jars’ of societal expectation similar to her own. Her recovery, which is highly tentative, depends on her ability to assert her authentic self rather than submit to others’ definitions of normality.
In summary, ‘The Bell Jar’ is a philosophical exploration of what it means to be human, and the challenges of identity, freedom and meaning. Through Esther’s inner journey, Sylvia Plath examines the trials of existence, the oppressive structures of gender roles in society and the ultimate quest for authenticity in a world that often feels meaningless. The novel is a testament to the complexities of identity and the struggle to find significance in a world that confines us.
