Sylvia Plath and the Supernatural

Refocuses Sylvia Plath's affiliations with 'the occult' on the legacies of the early modern witch trials. Drawing on newly published materials and Plath's manuscripts, this book reveals her multifaceted engagement with the supernatural, paralleling trends in the literature, culture, and politics of post-war America and Britain.

Sylvia Plath and the Supernatural brings a fresh and interdisciplinary perspective to the reading of Plath. Following recently published new material, this book offers a novel approach to the re-examination and celebration of supernatural themes in Plath's writings. It expands Plath studies by establishing Plath's creative and intellectual interests in early modern literature about witches and demonology, knowledge of the legacies of the Salem witch trials during McCarthyism, and her depth of understanding of the complex relationship between gender and magical powers. The book also demonstrates how Plath and her contemporaries responded to post-war American and British politics through employing and repurposing supernatural concepts while engaging with popular culture, atomic warfare, and colonialism. This book provides a systematic overview of Plath's materials, from draft manuscripts to The Bell Jar, and a unique analysis of post-war literature and culture through the lens of the supernatural.