Before The Letters of Sylvia Plath, Volume 1: 1940–1956 came out, the only collection of Sylvia Plath’s letters available was Letters Home (1976). It was selected and edited by Sylvia’s mother, Aurelia Plath. Critics found that Aurelia had removed parts of the letters where Sylvia expressed anger and illness complaints, leading to accusations of silencing Sylvia’s voice. With the new edition by Steinberg and Kukil, readers now have access to the unedited content and letters Sylvia wrote to friends and boyfriends from her childhood to her mid-twenties. These letters are more lively and humorous compared to the ones she wrote to her mother. They offer insights into Sylvia’s intellectual and literary growth in the 1950s, including her struggles with mental health and recovery.
Sylvia’s letters reveal her aspirations and challenges in finding a partner who would support her literary ambitions. After failed relationships, she found a kindred spirit in Ted Hughes. The volume includes passionate love letters Sylvia sent to Hughes in 1956, where she envisioned a future together as influential poets. She critiqued his work with confidence and discussed mental illness issues obliquely. Their early relationship was based on mutual respect, a rarity for women poets at that time.
The letters shed light on Sylvia’s journey at Cambridge University and her evolving relationships with literary men who shared her passion for modern literature. They also touch upon her struggles with mental health treatment, particularly the impact of shock therapy on her well-being. Overall, the letters provide a deeper understanding of Sylvia Plath’s personal and literary evolution during this period and her complex relationship with Ted Hughes.
