Thought-Provoking Quotes by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath was one of those girls who seemed to have it all. Beauty, brains, and talent.

She was born in Boston on October 27, 1932. By the young age of eight, she had her first poem published in the children’s section of the Boston Herald.

The poem was simply called, “Poem”.

“Poem” by Sylvia Plath

“Hear the crickets chirping in the dewy grass. Bright little fireflies twinkle as they pass.”

Sylvia was recorded to have an IQ level of around 160 when she was 12 years old. (Keep in mind, a level of 140 is considered a genius.)

Throughout her life, her studies came easy for her. She was even considered a high-achiever by her teachers, getting straight As.

Being such a gifted student, she won many awards and scholarships, including one to Smith College and a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Cambridge.

Let’s check out 10 carefully curated quotes by Sylvia Plath and see if you can spot her genius, and her pain.

Thought-Provoking Quotes by Sylvia Plath

“If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed.”

“I wanted to be where nobody I know could ever come.”

“The thought that I might kill myself formed in my mind coolly as a tree or a flower.”

“To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is a bad dream.”

“I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life.”

“We should have met in another life, we should meet in air, me and you.”

“I felt very still and empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo.”

“I have the choice of being constantly active and happy or introspectively passive and sad. Or I can go mad ricocheting in between.”

“I am terrified by this dark thing that sleeps in me.”

“I was supposed to be having the time of my life.”

As we all know, Sylvia’s life ended tragically, by suicide in 1963, at 30 years old. We’re not going to go into the gory details in this post, but want to focus on these few quotes as a reflection into a beautiful and talented woman.

We encourage you to explore this woman more, by reading her book, The Bell Jar, and her many other poems.

Check Out More Literary Quotes in Our Quote Vault