1. Plath

2. Sylvia Plath Born 27, October 1932 in Massachusetts As a child, Plath became intimate with the sea. Her father died young of a curable disease (diabetes) Plath was a star student and started writing early Plath won a scholarship to Smith college, but was immediately plagued by pressures in regards to school, etc. Plath wrote journals constantly and had a very keen eye for observation, especially observations of people. Her early writings were published sporadically, but she also faced multiple rejections.

3. Cont. In 1953 Plath had her first attempt at suicide. She left a note saying she had gone on a walk, when really she tried to take a bottle of sleeping pills. During her recovery, Plath actually became a better poet. Sylvia Plath had many male lovers and was very sporadic in her relationships with men. After moving to Cambridge, Plath continued to “flirt” and meet men. Plath actually played an “insane poetess” in a play at Cambridge. Watch out for that irony train.

4. Cont. At 23, Plath felt she was past her prime and she desperately wanted someone to love her. Insecure? Sylvia Plath later met Ted Hughes. This records the best known meeting of two poets ever. There is a great deal of rumor surrounding their meeting. Plath continued to see and travel with other men, but eventually married Hughes. Plath moved to the states and went through bouts of working and writing alternately. She had extreme paranoia about her jobs.

5. Cont. Plath also suffered many bouts with illness and was bed ridden most of the time. It seems like almost every winter she was either sick or depressed. Later Plath had a miscarriage, was institutionalized, and then found her husband was cheating on her. They moved (again) to try to rekindle their marriage. In 1963, Plath took her own life. It seemed to many that it was an orchestrated attempt that was made to be foiled. However, the plan went awry and she ended up dead.