The Other Sylvia Plath (Longman Studies in Twentieth-Century Literature) [Paperback]

Tracy Brain (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 058232730X | ISBN-13: 978-0582327306 | Publication Date: March 2001

Despite being widely studied on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses the writing of Sylvia Plath has been relatively neglected in relation to the attention given to her life and what drove her to suicide. Tracy Brain aims to remedy this by introducing completely new approaches to Plath's writing, taking the studies away from the familiar concentration to reveal that Plath as a writer was concerned with a much wider range of important cultural and political topics. Unlike most of the existing literary criticism it shifts the focus away from biographical readings and encompasses the full range of Plath's poetry, prose, journals and letters using a variety of critical methods.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"a valuable, important book...painstaking and lucid" 'I would certainly want to use it as a textbook.' 'I wolfed it down in one rapid reading, which will be followed by numerous intensive close re-readings. It is bound to be immensely helpful...' 'I am grateful for the authoritative information about manuscript evidence.' ' ...what prompted this letter, aside from the surge of admiration your book produced in me...' ' ...a valuable, important book--so painstaking and lucid about issues fundamental to critical evaluation of these poets." ['poets' here refers to Plath and Hughes] 'My thanks for all your hard work, and my gratitude for your critical acumen.' Diane Ward Middlebrook, Professor of English, Standford University.

From the Back Cover

"I'm a riddle in nine syllables...." Metaphors by Sylvia Plath

* Focuses on the writings of Sylvia Plath to reveal her cultural and political concerns - a thoroughly new approach away from biographical readings of her work.
* Plath's unpublished letters are examined, as well as hand-written drafts of poems, typescripts of The Bell Jar and annotated copies of the books that most influenced her.
* Provides new close readings of stories and poems that have seldom been talked about, or have been discussed in mainly biographical terms.
Despite being widely read and studied, the writing of Sylvia Plath has been relatively neglected in relation to the attention given to her life and what drove her to suicide. This exciting new study, The Other Sylvia Plath, introduces completely new approaches to her writing, taking the away from the familiar concentration to reveal that Plath as a writer who was concerned with a much wider range of important cultural and political topics. Tracy Brain provides new close readings of stories and poems that have seldom been talked about, or have been discussed in mainly biographical terms. Unlike most of the existing literary criticism, The Other Sylvia Plath shifts the focus away from biographical readings and encompasses the full range of Plath's poetry, prose, journals and letters using a variety of critical methods. It argues that there is another Sylvia Plath, a writer who was much more interested in a world beyond her own skin than critics have allowed. Plath's unpublished letters are examined, as well as hand-written drafts of poems, typescripts of The Bell Jar and annotated copies of the books that most influenced her. The book also explores the ways in which Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath drafted their poems together and wrote poems in answer to each other. It is also the first volume to look at Plath's home-made art scrapbooks and to analyse the significance of the cover designs and marketing of Plath's work.

Tracy Brain is at University of Stirling.

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Longman Publishing Group (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 058232730X
• ISBN-13: 978-0582327306
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,443,506 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars INSIGHTFUL AND A GREAT READBuy it when you see the movie!, October 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Other Sylvia Plath (Longman Studies in Twentieth-Century Literature) (Paperback)

Tracy Brain is a writer of uncommon talent who brings Sylvia Plath to life in a way no other academic writer has. Instead of dredging up the same old biographical information, Ms. Brain goes where others have not even attempted. I enjoyed the examination of Plath's letters, the new information I gleaned about Plath's relationship with Ted Hughes, and the interesting new connections made between Plath's work and her inner life. Highly recommended!