Circumstances that Exacerbated Esthers Mental Illness

Sylvia Plath is the author of the Bell Jar and was an American poet, novelist, and short-story writer (JRSM. June, 2003). The Bell Jar book was published in London a month before Plath’s death in January, 1963. The book was first published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas, and then later published in Plath’s own name. Esther Greenwood is the main character in the Bell Jar. Esther suffered from mental illness and struggled against depressive environment and continuously aggravated madness that led to her suicide and death (JRSM. June, 2003). I ague that Esther’s mental illness was aggravated by her internal pressure and depressive environment in which she lived. The first internal pressure that factored in triggering Esther’s madness†¦show more content†¦Esther’s problems started during the summer when the Rosenbergs were electrocuted. Her reaction was evidence when she stated that, â€Å"the idea of being electrocuted makes me sick and that all there was to read about in the papers—goggle-eyed headlines staring up at me on every street corner and at the fusty, peanut-smelling month of every subway† (Plath, p.1). Esther’s pressure started to mount up that summer. For example, Esther wanted to enjoy herself when in New York but instead she was stressed with unpleasant memories of the Rosenbergs. Because of the Rosenbergs’ forthcoming executing, she viewed 1950s America as unfair and dark causing suffering (Plath, p.1). Again, she felt pressured on how to behave as a female by the society around her. For example, her mother sends her a pamphlet on female sexuality when she was in New York and reminded her to keep her virginity. Lastly, Esther found herself surrounded by eleven other girls who came from a wealthy family background. Esther felt stressed when she could not afford all what the other girls could. Societal definition of female success in the 1950s included concerned about vir ginity, physical attraction, and lovely home and so forth contributed to increased Esther’s anxiety. She felt over pressured about the cultural norm about virginity at the time. According to the Bell Jar, as a young woman, she is expected to keep their virginity until she is