Plath’s work often talks about the emotional and mental struggles women go through, especially when they’re stuck between their dreams and what society expects from them.

Sylvia Plath’s only novel, The Bell Jar, is a semi-autobiographical story that follows Esther Greenwood, a talented and ambitious young woman grappling with societal expectations and her own mental health. The metaphor of the "bell jar" represents the suffocating and isolating pressures Esther feels as she tries to navigate life in a society that prioritizes domestic roles for women over professional or personal ambitions.Esther’s journey in the novel explores themes of rebellion against traditional gender roles. She struggles with the idea of marriage, viewing it as a trap that could prevent her from pursuing her own dreams.

One of Plath’s most famous poems, "Daddy," is often interpreted as a confrontation with patriarchal authority. The poem is a mix of anger, grief, and defiance, using the figure of the speaker’s father as a symbol of male dominance and control. The lines, “Every woman adores a Fascist, / The boot in the face, the brute / Brute heart of a brute like you,” reflect the oppression women feel under patriarchal systems. The poem’s tone is deeply personal yet universal, as it speaks to the collective struggles of women breaking free from controlling relationships—whether personal, societal, or symbolic. "Daddy" ends with a sense of closure, with the speaker declaring, “Daddy, you can lie back now. / There’s a stake in your fat black heart.” This line signifies a rejection of patriarchal authority, making it a feminist statement about reclaiming power.

"Lady Lazarus" is one of Sylvia Plath's most famous poems, highlighting themes of strength and resilience. The speaker compares herself to a phoenix, rising again and again from destruction and showing her power. The poem reflects feminist ideas through its rebellious tone and focus on reclaiming control. The speaker repeatedly talks about her ability to come back stronger—“I rise with my red hair / And I eat men like air”—showing how women can overcome societal pressures and personal struggles. The image of rising from the ashes connects to feminist values of empowerment and pushing back against oppression. "Lady Lazarus" also criticizes how women are often seen as objects. The speaker sarcastically describes her body as something for others to watch, which represents how women’s value is often tied to how they look. The poem challenges this idea and encourages women to take back their power and define their own stories.