“The Bell Jar” is a semi-autobiographical novel by the American poet and writer Sylvia Plath. Published under the pseudonym Victoria Lucas in 1963, the novel explores the protagonist Esther Greenwood’s descent into mental illness against the backdrop of the stifling social expectations of the 1950s. Plath, drawing from her own experiences, offers a powerful narrative that examines the challenges faced by women in a society that often limited their aspirations and constrained their identities. Esther’s struggle with mental health, depicted with haunting detail, reflects the author’s own battles with depression and the societal pressures that contributed to her emotional turmoil.