The controversies that surround Sylvia Plath`s life and work mean that her poems are more read and studied now than ever before. This Companion provides a comprehensive and authoritative overview of Sylvia Plath`s poetry, prose, letters and journals and of their place in twentieth-century culture. These essays by leading international scholars represent a spectrum of critical perspectives. They pay particular attention to key debates and to well-known texts such as Ariel and the The Bell Jar, while offering thought-provoking readings to new as well as more experienced Plath readers. The Companion also discusses three additions to the field: Ted Hughes`s Birthday Letters, Plath`s complete Journals and the `Restored` edition of Ariel. With its invaluable guide to further reading and chronology of Plath`s life and work, this Companion will help students and scholars understand and enjoy Plath`s work and its continuing relevance.