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The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes

janet malcolm

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From the moment it was first published in The New Yorker, this brilliant work of literary criticism aroused great attention. Janet Malcolm brings her shrewd intelligence to bear on the legend of Sylvia Plath and the wildly productive industry of Plath biographies. Features a new Afterword by Malcolm.

null pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1993

This edition

Format
null pages, Hardcover
Published
January 1, 1994 by Knopf, 1994
ISBN
9780330335782
ASIN
0330335782
Language
English

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About the author

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janet malcolm

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Janet Malcolm was a journalist, biographer, collagist, and staff writer at The New Yorker. She is the author of In the Freud Archives and The Crime of Sheila McGough, as well as biographies of Gertrude Stein, Sylvia Plath, and Anton Chekhov.

The Modern Library chose her controversial book The Journalist and the Murderer — with its infamous first line — as one of the 100 best non-fiction works of the 20th century.

Her most recent book is Forty-one False Starts.

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Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
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karmameister
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Absolutely superb.

This is a remarkable piece of work that delves into the realm of biography meta. It investigates the subject, along with its practices and impossibilities, by zeroing in on the biographies and the biographers of Sylvia Plath. And, as is inevitable, it involves Ted Hughes in all sorts of ways.

I have always been fascinated by biography, perhaps even regarding it as a black art. But I have a particular love for a good literary biography. So, it comes as no surprise that I was completely glued to every single page of this work. (Although, I must admit, the metaphor of being "glued" is such a bad one that I can't even begin to defend it.)

In conclusion, I highly recommend this piece to anyone with an interest in biography, literature, or the complex lives of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. It offers a unique and insightful perspective that is sure to captivate and engage the reader.
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shao12138
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The most even-handed of the bios on Plath and Hughes is truly a remarkable piece.

Malcolm makes a genuine effort to uncover the full story without taking sides. It is refreshing to encounter such an approach.

Since most Plath bios tend to portray her as a simpering victim of Hughes' cruelty, which was most assuredly not the case.

Malcolm's work offers a more balanced perspective, delving into the complex relationship between the two poets.

By presenting both sides of the story, she allows readers to form their own opinions.

This bio is a valuable addition to the literature on Plath and Hughes, providing a more accurate and nuanced understanding of their lives and relationship.

It serves as a reminder that there are always multiple perspectives to consider when examining the lives of historical figures.
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liakoto
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Sometimes the physical movement or narrative progression can impose limitations on her capacity to convey a point. It might even enable her to present an argument without any real stakes. A significant portion of the exegesis is nearly glossed over. Malcom selects the points of connection that drive the sequence of events forward, rather than those that could be debated or closely examined. As a result, the moments of analysis seem somewhat incomplete, despite the book being a homage to that very analysis. Her goals remain rather unclear to me.

Beginning with the Stevenson personal connection, there is a bit of a non sequitur. How does Malcolm fit into all of this? Why her specifically? At times, her presence seems to contradict her own questioning, yet she doesn't fully reflect on this disruption.

Also, I find myself wondering if her mission, which is to reflect on or dismantle the concept of biography through Plath's biography, would be more fruitful after the key players have passed away. Could she more effectively examine what we have demanded from the living once they are no longer among us? Does this create the necessary distance for her interrogation, or does it cease to be a scholarly and accurate biography at that point?

These are all thought-provoking questions that linger in my mind as I engage with her work.
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Alex_94
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Decepcionada: creí, erróneamente, que se trataba de una nueva biografía de SP.

Sin embargo, es más bien un paper en el que se analizan las diversas biografías de la poeta y los problemas entre su familia y los biógrafos.

Es decepcionante porque estaba esperando una obra que profundizara en la vida y la obra de SP, pero en su lugar encontré un análisis crítico de otras biografías.

No lo recomiendo en absoluto, ya que no cumple con mis expectativas.

Quizás para aquellos que estén interesados en el estudio de la bibliografía y la crítica literaria pueda ser útil, pero para mí, que buscaba una biografía más personal y detallada, no sirve para nada.

Me ha dejado con un sabor amargo en la boca y me ha hecho dudar si seguir leyendo obras relacionadas con SP.
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Masaaro
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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It has been more than a year since I last delved into any literary criticism. And this particular piece presented a truly fascinating perspective on the genre of biography.

It was evident that Malcolm had a leaning towards a certain side, which she openly acknowledges as an inevitability. However, what makes her work truly engaging is her in-depth exploration of bias within the realm of biography.

Rather than simply writing a traditional biography about the deceased, she opts to focus on the people who surround the subject of the biography. This unique approach allows for a more nuanced and multi-faceted understanding of the biography as a whole.

Overall, this literary criticism provided a refreshing and thought-provoking look at the genre of biography, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the read.
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Crenou
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Outstanding.

It is truly unlike anything else I’ve ever read. It has definitely sparked a profound interest in more of Malcolm’s writing.

This work is essentially a meta-biography. It offers a fascinating critique of the genre of biography. It does so by carefully investigating the existing biographical efforts concerning Plath and Hughes.

Moreover, it touches on important aspects such as epistemology and psychoanalysis. All of these elements are weaved together effortlessly through an emotionally compelling narrative.

The way Malcolm presents her ideas and analyses is both engaging and thought-provoking. It makes the reader want to delve deeper into the subject matter and explore the works of both Plath and Hughes.

This meta-biography is a remarkable achievement that not only provides valuable insights into the lives of these two important literary figures but also challenges the traditional ways of writing biographies.
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DecimatedF
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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A Biography about Biographies and the Sylvia Plath Cottage Industry

What is truth? This is a fundamental question when it comes to biographies. The responsibility of the biographer often conflicts with the irresponsibility of the journalist. While the reasoned, 'truthful', and'responsible' biography may seem paint drying dull or dishwater dull compared to the salacious memoir. The case of Sylvia Plath adds an extra layer of complexity as she presented so many versions of herself, so many'selves'.

I, a relative newcomer to the Legend that is Plath and Hughes/Hughes and Plath, studied Hughes for A Level and tried The Bell Jar at 19, but truly loved it at 47. I worry that the mystique of Plath, including her suicide and the fact that her only novel (and poetry) is about darkness and despair, is part of my love. She is like a Jim, Jimi, Janis, Sid and Nancy, Kurt, or Amy figure.

This book unearths the essential 'unlikableness' of Plath. She wasn't really very nice. The Bell Jar charts this, from being witty (sexy) at the beginning to unwashed and bitchy at the end, making her unlikable. We perhaps shouldn't write biographies when there are relatives to be wounded. And Malcolm's book seems to have its cake and eat it too. This book, which blurbs like it'll be desert dry, actually skips along like detective fiction (literary detective fiction, of course!). It's truly brilliant.

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lilsik12
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I've always been intrigued by Sylvia Plath ever since my teenage years, which led me to read numerous books about her. Recently, I picked up a particular literary criticism that truly left a profound impression on me. Not only was the writing style captivating, but also the insights it provided regarding the concept of biography and autobiographical writing were thought-provoking.

Who has the ultimate authority to determine the facts about a person's life and works? What moral dilemmas emerge from the publication of diaries and letters? This book was penned in the early 1990s when Ted Hughes was still alive. The author details his interactions with Hughes and his sister, who was handling his literary estate at that time.

It's truly fascinating to contemplate what becomes of a writer's legacy after their demise, especially when they pass away at a tragically young age like Plath. Many of the individuals interviewed for this book have likely passed away by now, making it an interesting time capsule of those who were intertwined in the Plath-Hughes narrative.

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