Sylvia Plath's semi-autobiographical novel is a harrowing,
thought provoking insight into the mind of a woman who is almost
synonymous with mental illness. Indeed, the mental health issue
runs through the novel and the main character, who is based on
Plath in a number of ways, spends a significant amount of time
in a mental institution, dealing with the effects this has on
her and her condition. The work provides a haunting insight to
the reality of a mental illness, and how this affects the
sufferer and their immediate family and friends. From studying
Plath's poetry, it can be clearly seen that the central
character is based on the author. The most obvious
representation comes from their conditions in the novel (bi-
polar disorder, abandonment issues, a hint of an Electra
Complez) and if you know anything about Plath, many short
quotations in the novel take on a much more significant meaning
than they would on their own. In fact, it is probably best to
understand the writer's basic background before approach