Author Sylvia Plath

Analytical Essay # 108791

Literature > American
Literature > Poetry
Psychology
Psychology > Theory

Author Sylvia Plath

Presents a psychological analysis of author and poet Sylvia Plath.

1,535 words () | 3 sources | MLA | 2006 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the life of poet Sylvia Plath, who suffered from mental illness and eventually committed suicide, and analyzes her life from the perspective of several psychological schools of thought. The paper discusses the ego-psychological views of Margaret Mahler and how they could provide insight into Plath's psychosis, looks at Dr. Ruth Jones' application of Freudianism to treat Plath, and considers how Existentialism might be used to explain Plath's psychosis. The paper concludes with the writer's reasons for choosing Sylvia Plath to psychoanalyze and why she found her to be a difficult subject.

From the Paper:

"During Sylvia's treatment in the sanitarium after her suicide attempt, she began intensive psychotherapy. Her doctor, Ruth Jones, was committed to the use of Freudianism. During Sylvia's sessions, Dr. Jones unearthed Sylvia's childhood repression of the death of her father, as well as brought to her attention the role played by the Oedipus Complex, or the female version, the Electra Complex. This complex demonstrated Sylvia's resentment toward her father, for the desire for power, and toward her mother, for both the loss of this power aka castration and the fear of losing her love."