The Awakening Of Female Consciousness In The Bell Jar

Sylvia Plath is a celebrated American poet, novelist and short story writer. TheBell Jar is her only novel which develops around the central protagonist, EstherGreenwood. Esther gradually becomes confused and then schizophrenic when herown quest for individuality and equality contradicts the patriarchal definition offemale, which is limited to submissive wife. She will not be able to gain renewaluntil the moment her female consciousness truly awakens.Through description of how Esther’s female consciousness sprouts till the realawakening, Plath reveals how patriarchal society confines women ideologically, howpatriarchal society involves women into honor-shame system as well as how femaleconsciousness awakens. This paper consists of five farts:The introduction reviews the critical response of The Bell Jar in and out ofChina. Chapter one demonstrates how Esther gradually realizes that patriarchydefines woman as submissive wife after she enters the occupational arena. In thisrole model, women are objectified into the male gaze. The dual standards ofpatriarchy regarding male and female roles engulf Esther into utter confusion.Esther’s female consciousness is muted as an infant. As a coming-of-age female, shesuffers both from the anxiety of being a misfit in working circumstances anddiscomposure about the fact that women are objectified into male gaze.Chapter two focuses on Esther’s direct collision with and resistance topatriarchal role modeling. This part first analyzes the confinement of patriarchalhonor-shame system of women, and then tries to identify the influence of patriarchyin family. The final part treats of the harm of patriarchal medical establishment byanalyzing the despising and ignorant attitude that Doctor Gordon shows whentreating Esther. In this process, Esther’s female consciousness turns into a rebelliousadolescent. Her attempts of resisting the collision of patriarchy but she is helpless indisengaging female inferiority to male superiority. Esther finally chooses suicide to evade the psychical control of patriarchy as a way to show her resistance.Chapter three recounts the awakening of Esther’s female consciousness and herself renewal. Through the female solidarity with mutual equality between Esther andDoctor Nolan, she gradually recovers from schizophrenia and discerns the path shewould like to choose for her life. By communication with Joan Gilling, the mirroringself, Esther is no longer directionless to resist the patriarchal control and starts toretrofit female individuality with unprecedented courage and confidence.Conclusion summarizes the main points of the previous chapters anddemonstrates the process that Esther’s female consciousness breaks through toawakening from confinements still bears realistic and social meaning to modernwomen’s striving for individuality.