Sylvia Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Otto and Aurelia Plath on October 27, 1932. Her parents birthed a son two years later. They were the typical family. In 1940 though, Sylvia’s dad fell ill and died from diabetes mellitus.

Sylvia, her brother Warren, and her mom live in Boston until 1942, when they move to Wellesley. During 1941, Sylvia's first poem is published in the Boston Herald. Sylvia stays in Wellesley until she graduates from college.

The Boston Herald

She enters Smith College in 1950. She graduates, and wins a scholarship to study in Cambridge, England in 1955. At Cambridge, Plath falls in love with another literary author, Ted Hughes. Sylvia finishes studies at Cambridge in 1957 and returns to U.S. to teach freshman English at Smith College, but only teaches one year.

Smith College

     In August 1953, Sylvia made her first attempt at suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. She was found a few days later, and successfully treated at a hospital in Belmont, New York.

Plath

In 1959, Sylvia became pregnant, and the couple decided to move back to England. The couple had their first child, Frieda Rebecca in April 1960. named Frieda Rebecca. Later in 1960, Sylvia became pregnant again, but in February 1961 had a miscarriage. While in the hospital after an appendectomy, Sylvia was offered a first reading contract from The New Yorker. In January 1962, Ted and Sylvia had their second child, Nicholas Farrar.

Sylvia and her two children.

Despite the joys of parenthood, Sylvia and Ted’s marriage was rocky during the coming May and June of 1962.  In May, Sylvia wrote “Apprehensions,” a poem dealing with her fears of Ted’s infidelity. In June, Sylvia found out for sure that Ted was being unfaithful to her. By the end of September, the couple had legally separated.

Ted and Sylvia before the divorce.

     Sylvia wins first prize ($500) from Mademoiselle magazine for her short story entitled, "Sunday at the Mintons" in 1952.

Early Works

Mademoiselle Magazine

In 1960, William Heinemann, Ltd. Published Sylvia’s first collection of poetry, The Colossus and Other Poems.

In 1961, Sylvia won a $2000 Saxton Grant to work on her novel, The Bell Jar.

Later Works

Sylvia later moved to a flat in Primrose Hill, London, where she and Ted lived when their first child was born. She lived here, writing poetry, until February 11, 1963, when she committed suicide. Sylvia Plath was 30 years old when she died.