Tortured Souls: Poets and the Sylvia Plath Effect
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Having something named after you is normally considered an honor. You think of things like the Washington Monument, Christa McAuliffe Elementary School, Bernoulli’s Principle, the Pythagorean Theorem and such. It typically means you have had some notable historical significance, made a major contribution to your field, exhibited some act of bravery or simply made an impact in society in some important way. Unfortunately, those so honored often are not around to enjoy their notoriety. Sometimes such notoriety may not be desirable. The “Sylvia Plath Effect”, is one notable example. Sometimes, having something named after you is not a good thing.
I am a poet. At least I would like to think I am. An amateur poet, to be sure, but a poet none the less. Some people say I have some talent, others, well, not so much. I began writing poetry as an emotional outlet during some particularly difficult periods of my life. Indeed, poets have a long-held reputation for being tortured souls. More so than any other group of artists, I would venture. Not that I count myself among their number.
This stereotype is nothing new. The concept of a link between mental illness and creativity goes at least as far back as Aristotle when he observed that philosophers, poets and artists all have a tendency toward “melancholia”. Simply type “poets who committed suicide” or “poets who killed themselves” into a Google search and you will be surprised at what you find.
One of my favorite poets, Sylvia Plath, was once such tortured soul. She was an immensely talented writer and poet who suffered from bouts of severe depression for most her life. After her husband left her for another woman Sylvia committed suicide at the age of thirty. Hers is one of the most famous cases of poet suicides and would lead to such phenomena being named after her.
The term “Sylvia Plath Effect” was coined in 2001 by James C. Kaufman in a paper in the Journal of Creative Behavior (Vol. 35, No. 1). Kaufman, known for his research on creativity, is a psychologist, the Director of the Learning Institute and a Professor at the California State University, San Bernardino. Some of his work has focused on a possible link between creativity and mental illness.
The effect refers to the phenomenon that poets are more prone to mental illness than other creative writers. He also found that among poets as a whole, female poets were even more likely to suffer mental illness than any other type of writer. He further found that female poets were more likely exhibit mental illness than any other class of eminent women, such as politicians, actresses, and artists. His findings are consistent with the findings of other such studies.
While many studies have suggested such a link between creativity and mental illness, no conclusive relationship has been established nor has the nature of such a relationship been defined. However, the findings do raise some interesting questions:
Does creativity cause mental illness? It is important to note that no link has been established that creativity itself causes mental illness. However, some researchers suggest the subject matter of many poets and the highly competitive and critiqued field these people are in may have more do to with mental illness than creativity itself.
Does the type of creativity matter? Creative people in less artistic professions, such as scientists and engineers, do not exhibit such a marked propensity toward mental illness. This may be true because poets have a tendency to delve into deeper, more emotional subject matter. More so than even most other artists.
Are creative people’s motivations a factor? Some researchers propose that creative people, particularly female poets, may be more prone to mental illness if they are more vulnerable to "extrinsic motivational constraints" such as interpersonal relationships. Placing a high value on such external factors may harm a highly creative individual’s mental health more than less creative individuals.
How does creative writing interact with mental illness? James Pennebaker, PhD., a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin has found there may be positive mental health benefits from writing. However, these benefits were seen only when the writer creates a narrative or makes connections between his thoughts and feelings. Dr. James Kaufman suspects that poets may not see the same benefits from writing as do other writers because poems seldom form a narrative.
Dr. Pennebaker warns that there is not yet any data to substantiate that writing poetry isn't beneficial. "It's very possible that writing poetry may have kept Sylvia Plath alive longer than she would have," he is quoted as saying. "One of the counterarguments is that being in poetry is a real tough way to make a living. There are very few jobs that have a higher rejection rate."
The “Sylvia Plath Effect” is certainly an interesting topic for study and a possible link between creativity and mental illness makes great fodder for debate. Whether or not such a link is ever established, Ms. Plath can rest in peace, assured that she is remembered more for her wonderful poetry and novel than the sad effect that bears her name.
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I'll agree that writing is cathartic and has helped me immensely in expressing myself through the rough times and sometimes in the good times. I find it is definitely easier to write poetry while upset or depressed but it is not he only way or reason to write it. I was told once that artists don't have to suffer for their craft; I believe that some may choose subconsciously to suffer because it makes writing or creating so much easier.
Lady_T, thanks for stopping by. It has been a while since we've seen you here on the hubs! I started writing poetry for my own benefit but never got my validation from it. Sure, everyone wants to hear that they have a talent for something but I don't take too much to heart. People here on Hubpages are very supportive and encouraging but are shy to really speak their minds. So, I take the positive and negative criticisms with a grain of salt.
That said, I found this subject quite interesting too. I learned of it when a wrote a poem after reading a biography of Sylvia Plath. A tragic story that, as I've looked into it more, has indeed been repeated many, many times in the world of poetry. Sad but true. Thanks for reading me and the nice comments. Don't be a stranger around here!
echoe0021, I would have to agree with you. I find it easier to write from angst as well. Writing can be cathartic and help with healing but I think it can also take susceptible individuals deeper into their pain (or obsession) without the healing. Maybe these are the people that are more prone to hurting themselves. Thanks for reading! Have a great day.
I think all artistic souls - persons driven to paint or write are driven by a certain side of their brain. This particular side of the brain is also prone to addiction and/or melancholy. I have noticed this to be true in my life and with the people I have known. Yoga was my BIG life-saver. Great Hub!
YogaKat, I think there is a lot of truth to what you say. Your not the first person that I have heard say that yoga was a big help with their problems. Thanks for the insightful comments and reading me.
Fascinating Hub on Plath. I knew she died young, but I was thinking she was closer to 40. Amazing to die at 30, and yet to have left such a body of work.
I knew that artists, writers, especially poets have a reputation for being intense, unhappy, perhaps unstable people, but I did not know that there were statistics verifying a higher suicide rate for poets in general, female poets in specific.
The connection between mental illness and creativity is a fascinating one. My paternal grandparents were artists. He was a sculptor and she was a poet and painter. They were not mentally ill, but they were very intense, emotional, demanding individuals, very high maintenance.
So far, I have several Hubs on my grandmother and one on my grandfather. My day job is teaching history at a university, but my "project" is collating and editing her poems and hopefully getting a small volume published.
Thanks for a very interesting Hub.
I have read your poems they are great. I agree you are a great poet. this hub is great. I did not realize all these poets killed themselves. so sad, such great talent. thank you for sharing
debbie
Hi Debbie, thanks, you've made me smile! I needed that today. Yes, these and more have taken their own lives. It staggers the mind to think of all the talent lost. Thanks for reading and such high praise.
phdast7, this truly is a fascinating subject. It sounds like you've have some personal experience with the creative temperament. They surely can be high maintenance. I'll have to check out the hubs about your family, they sound interesting. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
After reading your hub, I couldn't help but think about autism. Not that Sylvia Plath would ever have been diagnosed as autistic, but because "normal" people don't always understand the poetic mind any more than they understand autism.
There's a time and place for each of us, and the more we try to put eccentricities and differences into buckets of abnormality, the sooner we'll deplete what it is to be human.
Artists see, experience life in a way that most of us don't. They see the fallacies of beliefs and doctrines that suppress the expression of self. I'm thinking of Van Gogh, whose earliest works were realistic renditions of people and places. As he matured, he interpreted these real things in front of him according to his own beliefs and feelings...and came up with Starry Night...what sky ever looked like that? Yet, he speaks a human truth that most "normal" folks will never strive to speak, although they might "get it", thanks to his expression.
I have half a mind to send James C. Kaufman a poison pen letter.
Super hub.
Thanks, Sally's Trove! I'm sure that labeling people that aren't "normal" certainly exacerbates the problem, especially when talking about the highly creative. You know what they say, "There is a fine line between insanity and genius." Thanks for reading and your insightful comments.
This was so interesting. It is sad that so many poets and writers have committed suicide. I think it was the alcohol with Hemingway, but of course the alcohol only made his depression worse. I expected a poem from you, but i forgive you..Hee..Thank you..
Ruby, I've been reading a lot more poetry in hopes of learning to write it better. As I read, I'm curious about the poets themselves so I read up on them. They all have such interesting stories and some, like these, have such tragic ends. Thanks for stopping by!
Plath wrote some amazing, but very haunting and intense pieces including "Ariel" and her chant like tribute to her father "Daddy". I believe her childhood was very troubled as was her relationship with her father which might explain the intensity.
Your hub is fascinating and the questions you raise around creativlity and mental illlness are very valid. Interesting hub, I am bookmarking this one to read again. My votes to you, Poetic Fool.
Fennelseed, Sylvia Plath was clearly troubled. Many suspect losing her father at such an early age was the start of her struggle with depression. She certainly does have some dark pieces. "Daddy" was a particularly interesting and difficult read, at least for me. Thanks for stopping by and leaving the interesting comments.
...well I will be a tortured soul if I don't post this right now with beaming pride and heartfelt respect for your research and a story well told - obviously it reads like a labor of love on your part so I will raise the flag and see you on my Facebook marquee with a direct link back here -lake erie time ontario canada 6:05pm
Hi, Colin! I've always enjoyed Sylvia Plath and reading her bio got me interested in this fascinating subject. Thanks so much for the share of FB. It is appreciated. Have a wonderful evening on the lake, my friend!
It is sad to think that our society would cite "mental illness" as a result of Creativity. Something is wrong in that thinking it seems. That would then mean that God Himself is "mentally ill". Very Gifted people are the target of great Spiritual Attack generated by others who are jeolous, inadequate themselves, unable to live up to their own destinies and so on. Rather than thinking of these Gifted people as "mentally ill", as I don't believe in such a thing, I would consider that they did not Understand their own Spirituality. If they had a more firm Spiritual foundation, they would have been Given the Strength to Overcome the adversity aimed at them by others. I, also, write poetry and I am an engineer. However, I do not contemplate it. The poems, and my hubs, are Given to me in their entirety. It would be my Hope that we Encourage others to use their Creative Gifts, not being afraid of something people have labeled such as the Sylvia Plath effect. Suicide is the direct result of the abuse of others, not the weakness of the one committing the suicide. God's Blessings.
Sarmack, thanks for stopping by and leaving your insightful comments. I think you'll find as many opinions on this subject as there are people. I certainly agree that mental illness is not the result of creativity. The question is twofold as I see it. First, does highly creative activities, such a writing, attract a disproportionate amount of people suffering from mental illness? Second, do creative activities potentially exacerbate the problems these people suffer from? Does digging deep into one's psychological problems by writing about them help or does it sometimes hurt? I don't think anyone seriously thinks creativity itself is the cause of mental illness. Thanks for stopping by.
This is an excellent article. Your quoting of studies makes it fascinating and authoritative. Well written too. Up & interesting.
Thank you, Keri. This is a subject that fascinates me so I had fun reading up and writing on it. Thanks for your very kind comments.
lath is one of my favorites and you explored the subject well. Let us also not forget the likes of Poe, who didn't commit suicide, but abused his body to the point of dying a very early death. It seems common for poets to die young. Perhaps I should change my profession...
Thanks for writing this. You're a great poet in your own right. up and shared!
What a wonderful hub! There is a correlation between creativity and mental illness-but causality is still the subject of much speculation. I think you did a wonderful job in this piece examining that subject--and I suppose that all creative types have looked at this issue for themselves at some point in time. Just excellent article! Congratulations!
First, thank you PDXK for sharing this hub. It means a lot to me. And, Poetic Fool this hub article hits home for sure. I think of Poe many times and my fascination with his work when a wee little lad.
I never made a connection before now with my diagnosis of bipolar type 1. I am partial too, since you highlighted a 'Texan," though I am an Aggie fan - go A & M.
I am betwixt and between where to bookmark this fantastic hub - poetry or mental health. Maybe both. Oh yeah, the sun is shinning, not too hot, birds are playing, here in sunny SoCal.
An interesting article on an interesting subject! Voted up!
This is really interesting. I've also always heard about the tortured artist or poet. I never realized someone decided to name a term for it after Sylvia Plath. Thanks for sharing!
PDX, that so much. It really is an interesting subject I hope to research more as time allows. Thanks, though, for the kind words. The sentiment is mutual.
Hi Audrey, thanks for stopping by. Personally, I don't think there is a causal relationship between creativity and mental illness. I could see how it could exacerbate an existing condition though. It does make for fascinating reading and discussion though. Thanks again!
tsmog, so glad you dropped by. There are so many examples of self-destructive behavior particularly among writers and poets in particular. They say there is a thin line between genius and insanity. Maybe that is what helped make these great writers so great. Maybe there were always skirting so dangerously close to that 'ledge'. I'm glad you enjoyed the hub. Oh, and by the way, go Trojans!
Glad you found it interesting, Paul. I had planned to write more but 9it was getting long as it was. Maybe I'll write a sequel hub. Thanks for visiting.
Jeannie, I'm sure it wasn't the kind of fame Sylvia Plath was looking for! Fortunately, her writing speaks for itself. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Have a great day!
Lady_Tenaz Level 4 Commenter 4 months ago
First off, YOU ARE a poet and a good one at that. And ANYONE who tells you that you aren't has no right to be giving their opinions at all. NO one on the face of the earth has the right to tell another person they aren't a poet. No one knows what you feel when you write, and poetry is about self expression. Whether your poetry rhymes or not doesn't make it any less poetic than the other. So with that being said, YOU ARE a poet my friend and I am a poet who has experience in the subject and I am telling you that you are..so there lol.
Now back to the subject of Sylvia Plath. I was unaware of this story and it is quite sad. I do agree that poets have a deeper inner connection with our conscious and subconscious mind therefore we can fall into the pit of depression deeper. I myself admit that I have suffered from depression my entire life and it comes and goes. I also know that writing is cathartic and helps me get over my depression bouts and that is why sometimes I go for months without writing poetry but then when I feel the need, then I write again. This was a great in depth article and I really enjoyed it. Heck, you got me to log into HP to comment and I haven't been on here in a while. HUGS!