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The Bell Jar | Essays and Criticism

• Lack of Choices in 1950

  In the following essay, this author notes that while The Bell Jar has been interpreted as representing the lack of choices facing women in the 1950s, the portrayal of protagonist Esther Greenwood shows her as alienated even from other women who might be in her position. The critic also examines the possibilities created by looking at the poetic aspects of the novel.

• Plath's The Bell Jar as Female Bildungsroman

  In this excerpt, the critic discusses the protagonist, Esther Greenwood, in relation to themes in the novel, including alienation, her search for identity, and generational conflict.

• Waiting for the Voice to Crack

  In the following review, Maloff traces the publishing history of The Bell Jar and concludes that "good as it is," the novel has "an absence of weight and complexity sufficient to the subject."

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1. The Bell Jar: Introduction
2. The Bell Jar: Summary
3. The Bell Jar: Sylvia Plath Biography
4. The Bell Jar: Themes
5. The Bell Jar: Historical Context
6. The Bell Jar: Critical Overview
7. The Bell Jar: Character Analysis
   1. Joan Gilling
   2. Esther Greenwood
   3. Buddy Willard
   4. Other Characters
8. The Bell Jar: Essays and Criticism
   1. Lack of Choices in 1950
   2. Plath's The Bell Jar as Female Bildungsroman
   3. Waiting for the Voice to Crack
9. The Bell Jar: Compare and Contrast
10. The Bell Jar: Topics for Further Study
11. The Bell Jar: Media Adaptations
12. The Bell Jar: What Do I Read Next?
13. The Bell Jar: Bibliography and Further Reading
14. The Bell Jar: Pictures
15. Copyright

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