Why should you read Sylvia Plath? - Iseult Gillespie

Explore the haunting and intimate works of poet Sylvia Plath, who digs into issues of mental health, trauma and sexuality in works like “The Bell Jar.”

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Under her shrewd eye and pen, Sylvia Plath turned everyday objects into haunting images: a “new statue in a drafty museum,” a shadow in a mirror, a slab of soap. Her breathtaking perspectives and unflinching language made her a touchstone for readers seeking to break the silence around issues of trauma, frustration and sexuality. Iseult Gillespie shares why Plath's writing continues to captivate.

Lesson by Iseult Gillespie, directed by Sarah Saidan.

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[sakshidubey]

" why can't i try on different lives, like dresses, to see which one fits best? "

[SpeakWritePlayinEnglish]

“I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life. And I am horribly limited.”
― Sylvia Plath

[clovernhorndestroyerofmars]

I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead; I lift my lids and all is born again.
I think I made you up inside my head

[catsncoffee]

"I rise with my red hair. " When I was in my darkest depression, I wanted to end my life. Plath's Lady Lazarus saved me. I dyed my hair the reddest red and faced another day. Now I am in a better place. Sylvia Plath is a blessing in my life.

[geniethegenius]

“Dying is an art like everything else.”

[AnotherGradus]

_The Bell Jar_ published in 1963 still reads like it could have be released yesterday.

[wisesaying]

*“If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.”-Sylvia Plath*

[sonamartirossian]

The animation in this one is hauntingly beautiful! Just like Plath's poems. Kudos to the animators!

[kelsey]

I remember reading “The Bell Jar” for the first time a few years ago, and I remember Esther being the very first character in literature that I felt I could really relate to. When she was describing her feelings all I could think was “Oh my god, this is me”.

[lakshita]

I discovered Sylvia Plath during the darkest period of my life, and I owe my recovery and strength to her. It's amazing how I could relate to her despite all the decades we've lived apart. ❤️

[anntooth]

“Her astounding ability to express what often remains inexpressible.”

This is exactly what it felt when reading through her journals.

[sophiakee-rees]

Ted Hughes beat her to the point of her miscarrying, while also having an affair with her editor. Together they hid many of Sylvia’s poems that were her cries for help bc they were detrimental to their reputations. When Sylvia’s work was finally published in “Ariel” it was to late to save her, but her voice is still heard today and saves countless others from her situation

[titlespree]

The most sensitive people often think that their sensitivity is a curse..
Whereas the truth is it is such a blessing. First thing is that such people are quite rare in this world.
Secondly the sensitivity is a powerful strength that can be used for great artistic or even scientific ventures.
The creativity and passion, the empathy and deep observation, makes possible such things that no one else could've imagined!

[AncientAccounts]

I mean any poems that ted ed features usually is the only recommendation I need

[hrithik]

Sylvia Plath - a successor to the despairing legacy of Virginia Woolf and spokesperson for so many unheared cries of women that weren't documented individually.

[saumyapanwar]

I love how they paid attention to the fact that Sylvia Plath was left-handed at 0:46 and also at 0:58, when she crosses her arms and the left hand stays up, as in the case of lefties!

[RosaCatz]

My favourite poem of all time is a Plath poem: I am vertical.
I’m not sure why, but I find it so beautiful and chilling at the same time.

[diyamehta]

I've got Sylvia Plath poems to read in my English Literature Syllabus rn, so this video is perfect timing. Gotta show this in class.

[cruelsummer]

her unabridged journals alone are just such a treat. i was 15 when i first read it, barely in touch with the english language as it wasn't my first (nor my second), and it made me fall in love with the language. it was so well-written yet so easy to understand.

[assholebyginger]

She was truly gifted. I wish I had an ounce of the talent she had in writing poetry. Her poems give me comfort now and then.