American novelist Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) was famous for her confessional poetry. Her debut (and only) novel appeared in January of 1963. Struggling with manic depression, she committed suicide a month after its release.

The Bell Jar has since become a classic, laying out a particularly pertinent topic for our era—good mental health (or the lack thereof).

The novel is clearly autobiographical as it ties in with Plath’s battle with suicidal depression. This was well documented after her sudden demise aged only 30.

In the years leading up to it, she went through insulin shock and electroconvulsive therapy in an attempt to fight off her inner demons. She moved to London and had wrapped up her debut novel, but after it was published there came her sudden end.

Emptiness and Rebirth in The Bell Jar and its Mental Health Battles

Considered a roman à clef (a semi-autobiographical work, essentially) by many other literary critics, the Bell Jar is about young Esther Greenwood.

She’s working in 1950s New York one hot summer, but some form of inner darkness gradually emerges and sends her on a dark path towards an existential breakdown.

Greenwood, consequently, embodies many of Plath’s struggles. Initially, she’s a lively young lady who claims an internship at a leading magazine in New York.

Due to her introversion, she soon struggles with the hectic social life of the journalists, wanting to distance herself from the more outgoing, party-going sorts.

This is coupled by her strained relationship with men, whom she finds a bit alarming. However, she’s gradually overcome by overwhelming depression and sinks into a private world of inner hostility. Her mother dotes over her during the second half of the novel, with Greenwood swirling around increasing mental anguish.

“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”

This isn’t to say it’s a morose reading experience, as there’s a lot of dry wit throughout the work. Such as with this epic line.

“There is nothing like puking with somebody to make you into old friends.”

It makes us think of Carrie Fisher’s book Wishful Drinking, itself steeped in a sense of mental health struggles set alongside a terrific sense of humour.

The Bell Jar ends on an optimistic note. This is, rather sadly, unlike Plath’s life.

In the work it’s suggested Greenwood will likely go on to have a baby, as well as overcoming some of her issues thanks to an effective doctor.

The Bell Jar must have been unique for its time, considering it openly discusses severe mental health problems. Its focus on alienation, longstanding sexism (she wishes to avoid becoming simply falling in line and becoming a housewife), and overall well-being is particularly resonant and important now.

Due to this, its 1963 publication doesn’t appear too distant—it’s an unflinchingly timeless novel about human complexities.

And with the modern day open discussions on mental health battles, we think The Bell Jar joins other important stories (such as that of ’70s journalist Christine Chubbuck) in helping to humanise this condition.

The Bell Jar’s Film Adaptation

Due to her mental health struggles and the quality of her work, Plath’s life has been analysed and adapted (along with some of her work).

Sylvia (2003) was one such result, a Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle that has a 39% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Plath’s daughter, Frieda Hughes (now 58) criticised the production.

There are two adaptations of the Bell Jar, the first in 1979—it was directed by Larry Preece and starred Marilyn Hassett and Julie Harris.

The New York times savaged it, labelling the film “disastrous”.

It also prompted a lawsuit from a psychiatrist who complained about how she was depicted in the adaptation. Simply put, the whole project could have been a triumph… but instead fell rather flat on its arse.

In 2016, the fabulous Kirsten Dunst announced she was adapting, and directing, a new version. Dakota Fanning will play Esther Greenwood. Jesse Plemons will have a role as well, whom Dunst starred alongside in the second series of Fargo.

This version appears to be set for a release this year, but there are no trailers as of yet to promote. Dunst is talented, so we should imagine it’ll be a much better effort than in 1979.