Sylvia Plath (Victoria Lucas)

1932 - 1963

Sylvia Plath was an American novelist, short-story writer, and poet. Following her deep depression and suicide, controversy has surrounded the final events of her life, writings, and legacy. Her marriage to Ted Hughes continues to fuel debate in universities throughout the English speaking world. Plath is noted as advancing the genre of confessional poetry, which is seen in her collections The Colossus and Other Poems, and Ariel. In addition to her poetry, she wrote a semi-autobiographical novel entitled The Bell Jar, which was published soon after her suicide.