Feminism In The Bell Jar

The idea of maintaining an idealistic image of what a woman should be can be daunting for many women. In the novel written by Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar is a feminist classic as it entails the struggle that the main character, Esther Greenwood, faces as she battles relationships, motherhood and the ideal image of women brought to her by the magazine internship she works at, all while slowly losing her sanity. Esther unravels and begins to show signs of her mental illness early on. High-class women and a fast-paced life due to an internship she had obtained with a high-end magazine surround Esther. With the help of a supposed feminine image that Esther is surrounded by, she unravels at the idea she must be the perfect companion and cater to a man for the rest of her life. Esther is also taken back by the idea of motherhood and is unsure if this is what she wants in life, despite the constant ideas of society telling her it is necessary for her to …show more content…
The Bell Jar written by Sylvia Plath is a novel that describes the life of Esther Greenwood, a successful woman unraveling at the idealist image of woman set out by society. These images are seen throughout the novel when looking at Esther’s internship as a magazine editor. The idea of being a proper housewife shakes Esther and the idea of it makes her mentally sick. She is also surrounded by the idea that motherhood is the only acceptable situation for women in society. These ideologies are not what Esther is about. She is constantly under pressure by family and friends to maintain this image while Esther’s mind and heart are in another place – a place she has worked so hard for. Women are continuously trying to follow the idealistic image society sets out for them, sometimes this goes against their inner beliefs and causes conflict with the heart and mind – allowing people to unravel at these unjust