11. Alongside Hughes, Plath crisscrossed the Atlantic, growing as a poet as she flitted between England and America
Despite her immense talent, Plath’s career took second place to that of Hughes. The couple moved to America in 1957. Plath began teaching at Smith College, her alma mater, and then, when they moved to Boston, she worked as a receptionist. All the while, Hughes was being widely published, his reputation as a poet growing. Plath did, however, manage to make valuable connections. She attended seminars given by the acclaimed poet Robert Powell. Both he and Plath’s classmate Anne Sexton encouraged her to use her personal life for inspiration – even it meant addressing her depression and even her suicide attempt.
