Citation

Ocsovai D. Psychiatr. Hung. 2019; 34(2): 141-159.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Magyar Pszichiatriai Tarsasag)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

31417004

Abstract

The relationship of two, equally talented poets, as it can have whether a beneficient or inhibitory effect on both person's creative processes, is informative in a 'literature psychological' way. The present study aims to analyse the marriage of the poets Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. Sylvia Plath's life was directed by several dualities; her polarized perspective, being likely the result of her psychiatric illness, has taken control over every area of her life. Although, its most important duality is in connexion with the laureate British poet, Ted Hughes: she idealized and hated the man - being both her love and spouse - at the same time. Their marriage, fecundating the poetry of both, has led to a tempestuous ending. Soon after, the young Sylvia took her own life, and the public - more or less implicitly stating - blames it on Ted Hughes. In the present study we tend to give a literature psychological analysis of their relationship, based on their autobiographical works and, focused on the stages leading to the crisis, to question whether the personality of Plath could have an effect on the ending of their marriage? Could these phenomena have contributed to the early death of Sylvia Plath - and, especially, what was Ted Hughes's role in this process?

Language: hu

Keywords

History, 20th Century; Humans; Female; Male; Suicide; Marriage; Personality; Famous Persons; Poetry as Topic