Cambridge Companion to Sylvia Plath

The controversies that surround Sylvia Plath's life and work mean that her poems are more read and studied now than ever before. This Companion provides a comprehensive and authoritative overview of Sylvia Plath's poetry, prose, letters and journals and of their place in twentieth-century culture. These newly commissioned essays by leading international scholars represent a spectrum of critical perspectives. They pay particular attention to key debates and to well-known texts such as Ariel and the The Bell Jar, while offering original and thought-provoking readings to new as well as more experienced Plath readers. The Companion also discusses three recent additions to the field: Ted Hughes's Birthday Letters, Plath's complete Journals and the 'Restored' edition of Ariel. With its invaluable guide to further reading and chronology of Plath's life and work, this Companion will help students and scholars understand and enjoy Plath's work and its continuing relevance. • The most comprehensive and accessible student guide to Plath's work • Clear critical discussion aimed at students of the new editions of Plath's journals and poems • Provides an authoritative and engaging introduction to the controversies of Plath's life and work