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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 10 page research paper/essay that closely examines Wharton’s protagonist in The House of Mirth, Lily Bart, and Plath’s heroine in The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood. The writer argues that there are sharp contrasts between these protagonists that suggest that Plath’s portrayal of Esther’s adaptation to the forces of society over which she has no control is fundamentally healthier than the way in which Wharton’s heroine reacts to these same patriarchal and materialistic forces. However, this examination also shows that ultimately, the effects on the two women’s lives are very much the same. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Page Count:
10 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khspjewm.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
twentieth century. Despite this difference, Whartons protagonist in The House of Mirth, Lily Bart, is similar to Plaths heroine in The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood in that both of these
intelligent young women are shaped and influenced by societal forces, which are detrimental to their lives. However, there are also sharp contrasts between these protagonists that suggest that Plaths portrayal
of Esthers adaptation to the forces of society over which she has no control is fundamentally healthier than the way in which Whartons heroine reacts to these same patriarchal and
materialistic forces. However, this examination also shows that ultimately, the effects on the two womens lives are very much the same. Before examining the novels directly, it is
necessary to address the fact that Plaths novel is most often interpreted and discussed not in terms that are confined to the work, but rather in terms that encompass the
authors own life. While Esther is not portrayed as successfully committing suicide in the novel, this possible ending to her life is implied and Kate Baldwin points out that suicide
ideation necessarily colors the way in which the novel is read, due to the fact that Plath committed suicide shortly after the novels initial British publication (Baldwin 21). The Bell
Jar was published in 1961 and Plath committed suicide just two years prompted a New York Times critic to question if it was even possible to "read The Bell Jar
(without) the knowledge of Sylvia Plaths doom" coloring the readers interpretation (Baldwin 21). As this indicates, Plaths life is typically considered as relevant to discussions of The Bell Jar, particularly
due to the fact that it is largely autobiographical. Plath first experienced some episodes of depression while studying at Smith, and then went into clinical depression during the
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