SYLVIA PLATH
(1932-1963)
(1932-1963)
"Dying is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call." -Sylvia Plath
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Auerlia Schober and Otto Plath, Sylvia Plath had an early experience with death, when her father died as a result of complications from diabetes, in 1940. His authoritarian personality and attitude towards Sylvia, heavily influenced her later poems, mostly her infamous poem, "Daddy."
Plath has been noted as being 'ambitiously driven to succeed,' even at the early age of eleven, by keeping a journal and publishing her poms in regional magazines and newspapers. Her first national publication was in 1950 and appeared in the Christian Science Monitor. Just after graduating high school, Plath enrolled at Smith College. 3 years after joining the university, Plath fell into deep depression and her first suicide attempt occurred. Plath's attempt consisted of her crawling under her house and taking her mother's sleeping pills. She survived this first attempt after lying unfound for three days. After, she was sent into psychiatric care, for six months, and received electric and insulin shock treatment. Despite all of that, she returned to Smith College and graduated summa cum laude in 1955.
Post graduation, Plath moved to Cambridge, England. There is 1956, she met an English poet, Ted Hughes. They later that year, got married. Plath and Hughes then in 1957, moved to Massachusetts. Plath began teaching at Smith College. Finding it too difficult to teach and write, Plath gave up teaching and focused on her writing. Her first collection of poems, Colossus, was published first in England and then two years later, it was published in the United States as well. The couple eventually moved back to the UK in late 1959 and in 1960 Plath gave birth to her first child, Frieda. In 1961, Plath experienced her first miscarriage. Her writings in "Parliament Hill Fields," reflect feelings of this event. Also in 1961, Plath and Hughes rent a flat next to Assia and David Wevill, Assia later became Hughes' mistress. Shortly after, in January of 1962, Plath gives birth to her second child, Nicholas and June of 1962 Plath attempts suicide for a second time, by driving her car off of a bridge. July of the same year, Hughes' comes clean about his affair and leaves Plath for Assia. Plath then comprised one of her most famous pieces, Ariel, the winter after her husband left her. Plath kept both children.
Trying to seek help, Plath met with Dr. John Horder and explained to him her depressive state. She expressed that the episodes had worsened and the severity of them had increased. Plath spoke about her insomnia, change in behavior, loss of appetite and rapid weight loss. Dr. Horder prescribed her with an antidepressant and made daily visits to her home. He also arranged for a live-in nurse, when his efforts to get her admitted into a hospital, failed. The day that Plath took her own life, the nurse was due to arrive at 9am. Upon arrival, she could not enter. When finally gaining access, she found Plath dead from carbon monoxide poisoning, with her head in the oven. Plath had sealed the rooms between her and her sleeping children with wet towels. A note was later found with the downstairs neighbor, telling him to "Call Dr. Horder," with the number for the doctor attached. Placing her time of death around 4:30am, on February 11, 1963, Plath shoved her head into the oven and turned on the gas, ending her life at the age of 30.
Her book, The Bell Jar, was published in 1963 under the name, Victoria Lucas. Three other volumes were published after her death and Colossus, ended up being the only piece to be published while Plath was still alive. The Collected Poems, received the 1982 Pulitzer Prize and Sylvia Plath went on to be the first poet to posthumously win a Pulitzer Prize.
Plath has been noted as being 'ambitiously driven to succeed,' even at the early age of eleven, by keeping a journal and publishing her poms in regional magazines and newspapers. Her first national publication was in 1950 and appeared in the Christian Science Monitor. Just after graduating high school, Plath enrolled at Smith College. 3 years after joining the university, Plath fell into deep depression and her first suicide attempt occurred. Plath's attempt consisted of her crawling under her house and taking her mother's sleeping pills. She survived this first attempt after lying unfound for three days. After, she was sent into psychiatric care, for six months, and received electric and insulin shock treatment. Despite all of that, she returned to Smith College and graduated summa cum laude in 1955.
Post graduation, Plath moved to Cambridge, England. There is 1956, she met an English poet, Ted Hughes. They later that year, got married. Plath and Hughes then in 1957, moved to Massachusetts. Plath began teaching at Smith College. Finding it too difficult to teach and write, Plath gave up teaching and focused on her writing. Her first collection of poems, Colossus, was published first in England and then two years later, it was published in the United States as well. The couple eventually moved back to the UK in late 1959 and in 1960 Plath gave birth to her first child, Frieda. In 1961, Plath experienced her first miscarriage. Her writings in "Parliament Hill Fields," reflect feelings of this event. Also in 1961, Plath and Hughes rent a flat next to Assia and David Wevill, Assia later became Hughes' mistress. Shortly after, in January of 1962, Plath gives birth to her second child, Nicholas and June of 1962 Plath attempts suicide for a second time, by driving her car off of a bridge. July of the same year, Hughes' comes clean about his affair and leaves Plath for Assia. Plath then comprised one of her most famous pieces, Ariel, the winter after her husband left her. Plath kept both children.
Trying to seek help, Plath met with Dr. John Horder and explained to him her depressive state. She expressed that the episodes had worsened and the severity of them had increased. Plath spoke about her insomnia, change in behavior, loss of appetite and rapid weight loss. Dr. Horder prescribed her with an antidepressant and made daily visits to her home. He also arranged for a live-in nurse, when his efforts to get her admitted into a hospital, failed. The day that Plath took her own life, the nurse was due to arrive at 9am. Upon arrival, she could not enter. When finally gaining access, she found Plath dead from carbon monoxide poisoning, with her head in the oven. Plath had sealed the rooms between her and her sleeping children with wet towels. A note was later found with the downstairs neighbor, telling him to "Call Dr. Horder," with the number for the doctor attached. Placing her time of death around 4:30am, on February 11, 1963, Plath shoved her head into the oven and turned on the gas, ending her life at the age of 30.
Her book, The Bell Jar, was published in 1963 under the name, Victoria Lucas. Three other volumes were published after her death and Colossus, ended up being the only piece to be published while Plath was still alive. The Collected Poems, received the 1982 Pulitzer Prize and Sylvia Plath went on to be the first poet to posthumously win a Pulitzer Prize.