Unveiling the Female Self through Madness in Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar

Over the centuries, the word madness has been associated with negative connotations. However, what if experiencing madness is the only way to achieve liberation? Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar (1966) tells the story of Esther Greenwood and her dream of becoming a famous poet, which is shattered by the deterioration of her mental health. The novel explores the mental and emotional struggles of Esther and depicts an image of the effects of social pressures, gender roles and psychiatric institutions’ interventions on Esther's psychological well-being. The novel takes place in the Cold War era which is characterised by its extensive paranoia and extreme surveillance. This article will, in this context, argue that the construction of the female self must undergo a self-destructive madness as an essential step toward achieving female liberation, given the historical repression centered around the female body. It will also reveal that madness emerges from the socio-political conflicts of the Cold War era, as reflected in Esther’s perception of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) as a tool wielded by the political agenda to mold individuals into obedient citizens.