Carl Rollyson, who is working on a new biography of Sylvia Plath, has recently published a "London Diary" over on BiblioBuffet. In this piece, he discusses a bit about researching Sylvia Plath in the British Library and in person with two of Sylvia Plath's friends, A. Alvarez and Elizabeth Sigmund. Certainly gives a brilliant teaser when he writes: "I imagine Sylvia found it restful to be in Alvarez's company. He was such a receptive listener and an astute critic. I can't tell the whole story here, but by the end of my three hours with him, he was reading to me from his diary, which recounted a shocking event that will have its place in the last chapter of my Plath biography."
Sylvia Plath inspires us all in various and wonderful ways. She is in many respects a form of comfort to us, which is something that Esther Greenwood expresses in The Bell Jar , about a bath: "There must be quite a few things a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them. Whenever I'm sad I'm going to die, or so nervous I can't sleep, or in love with somebody I won't be seeing for a week, I slump down just so far and then I say: 'I'll go take a hot bath.'" We read and remember Sylvia Plath for many reasons, many of them deeply personal and private. But we commemorate her, too, in very public ways, as Anna of the long-standing Tumblr Loving Sylvia Plath , has been tracking, in the form of tattoos. (Anna's on Instagram with it too, as SylviaPlathInk .) The above bath quote is among Sylvia Plath's most famous. It often appears here and there and it is stripped of its context. But I think most people will know it is from her nove...
What a tease, oh that is not fair (but understandable)
ReplyDeleteIs he talking about his suicidal attempt?
ReplyDeleteLizzy
You and Carl are just big teases!
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine that Alvarez was really saying anything new after all these years - he's had plenty of opportunity to tell & recall in his books, Guardian articles, slots at the Oxford SP symposium and literary festivals, etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for the links & Plathian updates, Peter!
~VC
Lizzy - thank you for the comment. I'm not sure what Alvarez is talking about but hopefully we'll find out in about a year.
ReplyDeleteMelanie & Kim - I've been called worse! In the meantime I'll do what I can to justify the adjective!
~VC - Time will tell what Alvarez has to say. I think historically in Plath scholarship - especially when it comes to memoir and other personal recollections of knowing Sylvia Plath & Ted Hughes at that time - there has been a general hush-hush (by intimidation, court order, bullying, etc.) around a lot of what when on, especially after May 1962 when we have a lot "documented" in poems and recounted in letters, but no journals and really very little personal, first hand recollection. Hopefully in time we'll have a more accurate account of these things. I think I got carried away, sorry! You're most welcome for the links and updates! I'll do my best to keep on keepin' on!
pks