The Cambridge Introduction to Sylvia Plath

Cambridge Introductions to Literature

by Jo Gill

Sylvia Plath is widely recognized as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century Anglo-American literature and culture. Her work has constantly remained in print in the UK and US (and in numerous translated editions) since the appearance of her first collection in 1960. Plath's own writing has been supplemented over the decades by a wealth of critical and biographical material. The Cambridge Introduction to Sylvia Plath provides an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the poetry, prose and autobiographical writings of Sylvia Plath. It offers a critical overview of key readings, debates and issues from almost fifty years of Plath scholarship, draws attention to the historical, literary, national and gender contexts which frame her writing and presents informed and attentive readings of her own work. This accessibly written book will be of great use to students beginning their explorations of this important writer.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism

168 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Professor Jo Gill completed her first degree at the University of Leicester, her MA at York University and her PhD at the University of Gloucestershire. She worked in publishing for several years before commencing research for a PhD and taking up an academic career. She specialises in modern and contemporary literature with a particular interest in confessional and life writing, mid-century American poetry, the cultures of the American suburbs and literature and architecture. She is Chair of Governors at Richard Huish Sixth Form College, Taunton.

Reviews

[Wiom biom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading the sections on her poetry and prose but not the ones on her Letters Home and Journals, and to a lesser extent, those on the scholarly approaches to her work.

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an introductory book although I have the bare basics about Plath. But I find her so fascinating you know that I want to consume all the material on her. I want to read her short stories. I don't know how many are in the Johnny Panic book but I get the impression that there are tons of them and I'm like WANT! I'm greedy apparently.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dipped into so that I could fish out some more contextual background for essays. Not so much an introduction as a deep analysis but if you're a Plath fan, it's a good one to pick up. Biographical information, poetic analysis and critical and contextual commentary to be devoured.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

raised eyebrow '!' in the margin moments:

'When Plath makes some mildly judgemental comments about her grandmother, the editorial note assures us that the entry is misleading and that she did "in fact adore her grandmother"'

'He adopts the epithet ‘bitch goddess’ as a way of codifying some of the contradictions he perceives in Plath’s life and writing, and he works hard to fit his research findings into this frame. Responses to Butscher’s work have been mixed.'

'[Butscher]frequently allows the ‘bitch goddess’ tag to get the better of him: ‘Something was nagging at her unconscious, stirring up the dark waters where the bitch goddess had her nest.’

[Natashaketel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a crucial study for anyone interested in Plath!

[euridice · Rating 5 out of 5]

me pergunto quantas vezes voltarei nesse livro nos próximos dois anos

[María · Rating 3 out of 5]

Está bien como un primer acercamiento a la vida, obra y contexto de Sylvia Plath, aunque al ser tan corto también se queda en lo general. Aunque te da puntos clave para seguir investigando.

[Marian Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I've been on a Plath kick. This is a really easy to read combination of biography, analysis of her poetry and a review of the dominant theories surrounding her work.

Gill manages to avoid taking sides on the 'Ted Hughes: bastard or well-intentioned but dumb?' argument, while presenting both sides impartially. In fact, she places Hughes' influence on her life and the posthumous publication of Plath's poetry into a context that I found both informative and delightful. Learning something new about something you love is never a bad thing.

For those who don't know Plath's work, I'd recommend reading this as a companion to her poetry or published Journals and Letters Home. It's illuminating.

[Joakim Löfberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting