The Real Story Of Sylvia Plath’s Final Moments

Sylvia Plath is known for her writing, but also for the tragic nature of her death. Many are aware that she left this world long before her time, yet there are elements of her life story that relatively few people are aware of. We’re going to take a look at this heartbreaking tale, while exploring and celebrating the life and legacy that Plath left behind.  

The date of her death

On February 11, 1963, the body of Plath was discovered at her home at 23 Fitzroy Road, north London. She was found by a nurse, who’d been sent to assist with childcare, and Charles Langridge, a workman. The nurse asked Langridge to help her when she couldn’t gain access to the property; there had been great concern about her wellbeing ahead of the visit.

A shocking loss

Plath had taken her own life in the kitchen. The gas oven was on, and the door to her childrens’ room was taped off to protect them from the fumes. It was later revealed that Plath had woken early, leaving food out for the kids and giving them extra blankets. Her death shocked the world, coming as it did at the age of just 30.   

The inquest's verdict

An inquest was held, which confirmed her demise from carbon monoxide poisoning. Why had she done it? Various factors have been highlighted, from the end of her relationship with husband and fellow writer Ted Hughes, to a creative struggle. There was also another type of struggle going on inside Plath: her fluctuating mental health had long been a factor in her life. 

Where she was buried

She was laid to rest at the St Thomas A. Beckett churchyard in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire; Hughes had been born in the county. Plath is still celebrated today, but not everyone thinks her memory is being honored in the right way. As you’ll see, the poet and author has been characterized in a certain light in the years following her passing.