Sylvia Plath is one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th Century—and, according to some, one of the most misunderstood and maligned. In this class, as well as exploring Plath’s writing in poetry and prose, we will examine her critical and popular reception and how that has changed over time—and how her husband, poet Ted Hughes’ framing of her work has impacted that reception. We will look at her early formalist poetry, her later adaptation of a more confessional mode, and then her final brilliant experiments in Ariel. We’ll look at the use of sound, myth, personal material, and social issues in her work—and at her literary influences. We’ll also look at Plath’s prose—her short stories and The Bell Jar—as well as her journals. We’ll pay particular attention to how she both embodies mid-1950s white American/English concepts of gender, and how she rebelled against them. We’ll further contextualize her work by a broad survey of cultural and political movements of her era that she may or may not have addressed. Frequent reading and writing assignments will be integral to the course.Required of students in Writing and Literature. Ways of Reading focuses on a particular canonical author or text(s), utilizing various critical perspectives and secondary sources to support a deeper understanding of the work. The course further develops and reinforces practical skills in close reading, historical contextualization, applied critical theory, and the use of discipline-specific research tools and resources, encouraging conscious reflection on critical presuppositions and practices. This course prepares students to enter the Critical Essay Workshop.

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