This essay will demonstrate and examine how the selected works of Sylvia Plath, Diane Di Prima, and Suzanne Collins, challenge the standard depiction of the twentieth century's female gender roles by defying the patriarchal belief of women's domestic position within society. Sylvia Plath became known as a feminist writer through her poems that exposed patriarchal oppression. ... By making such harsh connections to her oppressor, the reader can see Sylvia Plath's use of feminist writing flourish in order to prove the true issues of oppressive patriarchy. ... By writing this p...

• Word Count: 2160
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The novel The Bell Jar written by Sylvia Plath is set in the 1950s America when the idea of adolescence was reasonably recent and society seemed a little uncomfortable with the idea of unrestricted individuality. Sylvia Plath explores these issues about individuality against society's expectations through the protagonist of The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood who has an identity crisis, which leads to a mental breakdown. ... Sylvia Plath uses the motif "the bell jar" to illustrate the effect of society on Esther. ... Sylvia Plath asks us; to what extent is Esther responsible for her actions an...

• Word Count: 743
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate