Abstract

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) is a famous American female poet and writer in the twentieth century. The Bell Jar is an autobiographical book published three weeks before Sylvia’s death in February 1963 and it is her only novel. This paper mainly analyzes the factors that influence Esther’s tragedy from the angle of feminism. The paper is made up of three parts. The first part analyzes the unfavorable social background. It mainly introduces the phenomenon of females’ invisible confusion and low social status in patriarchal society and people’s denial of women’s value. The second part analyzes the effect of absence of role models in her life. Neither her parents nor the surrounding people can set her an example, which makes her a hesitant person and lost in depression. The third part mainly analyzes Esther’s awakening of feminist consciousness. It is mainly expressed by her personality, her resistance to traditional conception of chastity and her abandonment of the old-self. The conflict of the character’s personal values and social expectation is a significant cause of the tragedy.

Key Words: Plath; The Bell Jar；Feminism; Tragedy

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 A Deep Analysis of the Social Background-3

2.1 Shift of Women’s Situation in Patriarchal Society-3

2.2 People’s Denial of Women’s Value-5

2.3 Women’s Confusion-6

3 Absence of Role Models-9

3.1 Absence of Role Models in the Family-9

3.2 Absence of Role Models in the Community Group-11

4 Esther’s Awakening of Feminist Consciousness-13

4.1 An Analysis of Esther’s Personality-13

4.2 Defiance to Traditional Conception of Virginity-14

4.3 Growth on Her Old Self-15

5 Conclusion-17

Bibliography-19

Acknowledgments-20