Sylvia Plath (1932–1963) was an American author and poet. Plath is primarily known for her poetry, but earned her greatest reputation for her semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar, published pseudonymously weeks before her death.
Poems Plath published dozens of poems, including: "Ariel" "Daddy" "Lady Lazarus" "Mad Girl's Love Song" "The Munich Mannequins" "Tulips" "Two Lovers and a Beachcomber by the Real Sea"
Prose Plath published only one book in her lifetime—the novel The Bell Jar—but several collected editions of her poetry, short stories, letters, and children's books were published posthumously.
The Bell Jar (1963), under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" The Bed Book (children's book – 1976) Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams (JP), edited by Ted Hughes (short stories, 1977) The It-Doesn't-Matter-Suit (children's book – 1996) Collected Children's Stories (children's book – 2001) Mrs. Cherry's Kitchen (children's book – 2001) Mary Ventura and the Ninth Kingdom (2019) The Collected Prose of Sylvia Plath (2024), edited by Peter K. Steinberg
Letters and journals Several of Plath's letters and her personal journals were published after her death. Her early diaries which she started at the age of 11 on 1 January 1944 and wrote till December 1949 remain unpublished. Most of her manuscripts are held at Smith College and Indiana University libraries. Letters Home: Correspondence 1950–1963, edited by Aurelia Schober Plath (1975) The Journals of Sylvia Plath, edited by Ted Hughes and Frances McCullough (1982) The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, edited by Karen V. Kukil (2000) The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume I: 1940–1956, edited by Peter K. Steinberg and Karen V. Kukil (2017) The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume II: 1956–1963, edited by Peter K. Steinberg and Karen V. Kukil (2018)
Poetry There are several limited-edition collections of Plath's work. Significant compilations include: The Colossus and Other Poems (TC) (1960 – American and British editions are different) Ariel (A) (1965 – American and British editions are different) Uncollected Poems (UC) (1965) Fiesta Melons (FM) (1971) Crossing the Water (CtW) (1971 – American and British editions are different) Winter Trees (WT) (1972 – American and British editions are different) The Collected Poems (TCP) (1981) Selected Poems (SP) (1985) Plath: Poems (PP) (1998) Ariel: The Restored Edition (2004) The Poems of Sylvia Plath (upcoming)
Others The Magic Mirror (1989), Plath's Smith College senior thesis
Three Women: A Monologue for Three Voices (1968) play
Drawings
Interviews The Poet Speaks edited by Peter Orr, published by Barnes and Noble in New York City (1966), pp.167–172
Editing – American Poetry Now: A Selection of the Best Poems by Modern American Writers, appended to Critical Quarterly Poetry Supplement, number 2 in 1961
Sylvia Plath Reads, Harper Audio 2000Review – Sylvia Plath Reads – Suicide Plath Reads Plath – 1975, Released as a gramophone record by Credo Records and on Compact Disc by Harper Audio in 2000
The Art of Sylvia Plath 1970: Dialogue en Route c. 1951 Miss Drake Proceeds to Supper 1956 On the Plethora of Dryads 1956 Epitaph for Fire and Flower 1956 Battle-Scene from the Comic Operatic Fantasy The Seafarer 1957 Words for a Nursery 1957 Mushrooms 1959 In Plaster 1961 An Appearance 1962 Lesbos 1962 Purdah 1962 Mystic 1963 Excerpt from a radio play Three Women 1962 OCEAN 1212-W 1962 Thalidomide Pen drawings by Sylvia Plath
Full list of publications Title Date Collected Notes"Mad Girl's Love Song"August 1953Poem published in the women's magazine MademoisellePoem published in The Christian Science MonitorCGPoem published in Smith Review, Spring 1959Poem published in Cambridge ReviewTCPoem published in Arts in Society, Fall 19591971Poem published in Crystal GazerTCPoem published in Grecourt ReviewWT (US)Poem published in The New YorkerCtW (UK), WT (US)Poem published in The New YorkerPoem published in The Lyric, Winter 1956UP, AoSP, CtW (UK), WT (US)Poem published in Times Literary Supplement, January 20, 1966APoem published in London MagazineCtW (UK), WT (US)Poem published in The New YorkerAriel1965Published by Faber and Faber in London and Harper and Row in New York City in 1966CtW (UK), WT (US)Poem published in The New YorkerChildren's book published by Faber and Faber in London with illustrations by Quentin Blake and New York City by Harper and Row with illustrations by Emily Arnold McCullyPublished by William Heineman, Ltd. in London under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas, Faber and Faber in London in 1966, and Harper and Row in New York City in 1971, with a biographical note by Lois Ames and eight drawings by PlathChildPublished by Rougemont Press as a limited edition of 300 copiesPublished by Harper and Row in New York City in 1971, edited by Ted HughesPublished by William Heineman, Ltd. in London, Alfred A. Knopf in New York City in 1962, and Faber and Faber in 1976Crossing the WaterPublished by Faber and Faber in London and Harper and Row in New York CityCrystal Gazer and Other PoemsPublished by Rainbow Press in London as a limited edition of 400 copiesJP (UK)Published as a book by Embers Handpress in 1981 as a limited edition of 160Fiesta MelonsPublished by Rougemont Press as a limited edition of 150 copies, with an introduction by Ted Hughes and 11 drawings by PlathJP (UK)Published as a book by Embers Handpress in 1982 as a limited edition of 160Johnny Panic and the Bible of DreamsPublished by Faber and Faber in LondonPublished by Dial Press in New York City, edited by Frances McCulloughLetters Home by Sylvia Plath, Correspondence 1950–1962Published by Harper and Row in New York City, edited by Aurelia Schober PlathLyonessePublished by Rainbow Press in London as a limited edition of 400 copiesPoem written in the early 1950s, published as a book by The Sceptre Press as a limited edition of 150 copiesPlath Reads PlathReleased as a gramophone record by Credo RecordsPursuitPublished by Rainbow Press in London as a limited edition of 100 copiesAPoem published in London Magazine, later printed in Tri-Quarterly in Fall 1966, and published in Naked Poetry in 1969. Revised and published in Pursuit in 1973. Published as a book with facsimile manuscript by The Pioneer Valley Printing Company as a limited edition of 150 copies in 1982. by C. A. TrypanisBook review published in Gemini, Summer 1957Sylvia Plath ReadsReleased as a Compact Disc by Harper AudioThree Women: A Monologue for Three VoicesWTPublished by Turret Books in London as a limited edition of 180 copies, first broadcast on BBC Third Programme on August 19, 1962Published by Random House in New York City, edited by Karen V. KukilUncollected PoemsPublished by Turret Books in London as a limited edition of 150 copiesAWS, TCPoem published in The Atlantic Monthly, July 1960 and Encounter, February 1961Published by Tragara Press as a limited editionWinter TreesPublished by Faber and Faber in London and Harper and Row in New York City in 1972, contents between the two editions differWreath for a BridalPublished by The Sceptre Press as a limited edition of 100 copies
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