Lives Revised: Assia Wevill, Ted Hughes, and Sylvia Plath Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick
I didn’t go on with this, because it is just too academic, although I am very interested in these three famous writers, and I love Sylvia Plath’s poetry. I prefer ‘straight’ biographies. Written from a feminist and psychological perspective and based on interviews and writings, it sheds new light on these figures, steeped in myth and legend, especially Assia, who is even now regarded as an ‘evil’ woman and blamed for Sylvia’s suicide. I did read A Lover of Unreason years ago, and it seems to be the newest one, apart from this, so it looks like I’ll have to read it again. Although my niece gave it to me, I decided that it was too depressing to keep, unfortunately, so I gave it away again.
I received this free ebook from Edelweiss in return for an honest review.
NB: I wrote that I was into Sylvia Plath’s at the moment, and someone on FB wrote that ‘your husband must find you a lot of fun’! No comment.
Comments
I don't think that any reasonable person who knows anything at all about Sylvia Plath's life thinks that Assia drove her to suicide. I do think that Ted Hughes was probably the worst possible mate for her, and for any artistic woman.
I grew up in Sylvia Plath's hometown of Wellesley, Massachusetts. My English teacher was her English teacher, and when coaxed, told stories about her. I knew many people who knew her. From everything I know about her circumstances, she killed herself in a horrid winter, when she was on her own with two children and deeply depressed, without the support of people who cared about her. Of course she would have been distraught about Ted and Assia, but I don't think that either one of them can be the CAUSE of her death. She needed care, she needed support, and didn't have it at that time.
You were so lucky to hear stories about Sylvia! I am reading Red Comet now, but on Kindle. It is very detailed.