The Bell Jar

Esther Greenwood’s life could be the epitome of the American dream. At 20, she arrives in New York, with all the doors opening in front of her, surrounded by a whirl of professional success, receptions and celebrities. Still, she feels incapable of measuring up. She looks for the flaw in herself, and as a result of her merciless self-examination, she is slowly consumed by her worsening anxiety.

Sylvia Plath’s novel The Bell Jar is a much-analysed and much-quoted cult classic of the 20th century. In part, the story, inspired by her own life, exposes with brutal honesty the stages of becoming a woman. Yet, it is also a rendering of the transitional period from adolescence to adulthood that is filled with insecurity, an expression of inner fears and a search for self-identity of elemental power.

 

Supported by the National Cultural Fund

Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes with no intermission