Sylvia Plath, Witchcraft & Radical Poetry

Description

Sylvia Plath is best known for her novel The Bell Jar (1963) and her emotive, striking poetry. She grew up in Massachusetts, close to Salem, a place closely linked to the history of the witch trials. During the 1950s, renewed public interest in these events influenced Plath’s writing and imagination. Plath often used images of witches and witch trials to explore power, identity and injustice. Her poetry reflects her concerns about control and authority in society, while also showing sympathy for those unfairly accused. In this talk, Dr Dorka Tamás explores how Plath connects with witchcraft and poetic language, and how the figure of the witch appears in different forms in her work.