Esther's Existential Struggle in Plath’s The Bell Jar

Abstract

The present research on Silvia Plath’s The Bell Jar attempts to examine the existential feministic aptitude of the protagonist Esther in terms of her uncommon coming of age activities. Esther starts her journey in the realm of extreme patriarchy initially as an intern and later having an exclusive life. Esther separates herself from every relations and bonds; including the family bonds. She also negates every relations with her male complements as well. This research through the light of Simone de Beauvoir’s existential theory from The Second Sex shades light on some of the existential themes like, anxiety, anguish, alienation and self-estrangement. This project also presents Esther as the fictional inference to the author Sylvia Plath and her life at her contemporary period. However, as Esther relies upon suicide as one of the emancipation options, this research concludes the existential theme as the most effective implication in the novel.