Sylvia Plath and the Mythology of Women Readers

Badia (women's studies, Indiana U.-Purdue U.-Fort Wayne) explores the misogynistic origins of literary and pop culture portrayals of Plath's female readers as deluded or demented. She looks at how the mythology surrounding Plath's readers has influenced the critical reception of Plath's writing and present-day Plath scholarship, analyzing views of Plath's readers as part of general historical attempts to pathologize women's reading practices. Badia argues that this mythology of women readers has led to the dismissal of (auto) biographical and even feminist approaches to Plath's work. Drawing on private correspondence, Badia also investigates the Hughes family's management of Plath's legacy. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)