Sylvia Plath archives are rather dispersed and so it can make locating documents tricky. So, in an effort to aid in locating typescripts and manuscripts of Plath's creative works, I have collated a spreadsheet called the Sylvia Plath Archival Documents Hub. There are four worksheets: Poetry, Prose, Correspondence, and Photographs.
In the first two, Poetry and Prose, I am tracking only the manuscripts and typescripts.
The largest worksheet consists of correspondence. This was developed as part of my tracking spreadsheet of Plath's letters for The Letters of Sylvia Plath project but I've included letters she received that survive, as well as letters that may relate to her in some fashion. There is a clear division at 11 February 1963 to indicate to you this is after Plath's life. It is not by any means complete in the latter category (post-11 February 1963). Now that Letters project is over, I felt the information was worth sharing.
The fourth worksheet compiles all the known photographs of Plath held in archives and published in books. I have done what I think is my best to describe the photograph in hopes of helping you picture each respective one.
The spreadsheet is a Google document and will be View only access. The creative works are sorted alphabetically by title. I can do nothing about how slow it loads, so please be patient with this cloud-shared document.
If you notice errors or omissions, please do let me know. Over on my website, A celebration, this is, is a list of all the known, public-accessible Plath archives. In addition to this blog post and that Archival Materials page, the document will be linked on the Bibliography page, and of course it can be bookmarked.
I truly hope you are able to make use of it.
All links accessed 16 and 24 November 2018.
I have what may be a stupid question- can just anyone access these archives to take a look at these primary sources? Or does one usually have to have some sort of project at hand (for example, editing the Letters of Sylvia Plath, or writing a biography of her)? I salivated over the One Life exhibit and wished so badly that I could see more, mainly because I am a super-fan.
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance. And thank you very much for all your hard work in creating this massive, amazing finding aid.
Elizabeth -- not a stupid question at all and thank you for your comment and kind words. I can think of no archive represented on this list that requires a reason to visit. Interest in the subject is certainly reason enough. The only thing archivists and librarians like is advanced notice of your visit! ~pks
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Oh my goodness, I have been wasting time. I live in Rhode Island and could be up at Smith so easily!
ReplyDeleteWith apologies to Hamlet... Get thee to an archivery! ~pks
ReplyDeleteMy father knew Sylvia Plath and even made it into her journals after he emigrated to Boston from Hungary. There is mention of a Hungarian in the Bell Jar and I always wondered if my father was partly the inspiration for that passage (he died, like Sylvia, too young in 1973 of a heart anuerysm). Today would have been his 90th birthday, his name was Attila Kassay.
ReplyDeleteHi David, Thank you very much for your comment. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so. I would love to ask you some questions, perhaps, if you don't mind. Please email me at peterksteinberg AT hotmail DOT com. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI was curious about the location of Falcon Yard, and now, thanks to you, I know its at Emory! Thank you so much for your work in putting this together. Do you think we will ever see the publication of Falcon Yard?
ReplyDelete