Buzz
In a world predominantly controlled by men, it took an extended period for women to be acknowledged, let alone heard. It’s no secret that many women’s voices remained confined within the walls of psychiatric institutions. A few women who were institutionalized had voices and talents powerful enough to make their work resonate beyond those walls. The impact of those few can still be felt today.
10. Emma Santos 1943-1983
Though Emma Santos might not be as widely recognized as some others on this list, her writing and her voice are undeniably potent, earning her a spot here. Throughout the 1970s, she was in and out of psychiatric hospitals. Her physician, Roger Gentis, encouraged her to write about her life, which she did. She went on to publish eight books that chronicle her experiences within the asylum—a place whose walls continued to haunt her.
9. Valerie Valere 1961-1982
At just 13 years old, Valerie Valere was admitted to a psychiatric institution for anorexia. Her treatment lasted only a few months, but the experience left a lasting trauma. Years later, she wrote a biography detailing her time in the asylum (Le Pavillon des infants fous). Writing about her forced confinement allowed her to open up about her hidden struggles; she was one of the fortunate few whose voice was finally heard. Upon publication, her book garnered her fame in France, where she remains widely respected. This was the first time anyone truly listened to her. She went on to write a few more books before tragically passing away at 21. The cause of her death remains uncertain, though rumors of a possible medication overdose persist.
8. Janet Frame 1924-2004
Janet Frame, a celebrated writer from New Zealand, faced immense personal tragedy when she lost two sisters to drowning during her childhood. In 1945, during her late teens, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed to an asylum. While there, she endured numerous electroshock treatments. However, it was also during this dark period that she began her writing, a passion that ultimately saved her life. Just before a scheduled lobotomy, she won a literary award, and her novel about her asylum experience, 'Faces in the Water,' was published in 1961, bringing her considerable recognition. Frame continued to write throughout her life until her death in 2004 from leukemia. She remains one of New Zealand’s most cherished authors, with a film adaptation of her life, 'An Angel at my Table,' directed by the renowned Jane Campion.
7. Mary Barnes 1923-2001
Mary Barnes, a British artist, was diagnosed with schizophrenia and voluntarily admitted herself to Kingsley Hall, a progressive anti-psychiatry community in London founded by Ronald Laing. The aim of this community was to help patients heal without resorting to conventional psychiatric methods. Over time, Barnes fully recovered from her condition and became a successful painter. Her rise to fame came with the publication of a book about her experiences at Kingsley Hall, which she co-authored with her psychiatrist at the time, Joseph Berke.
6. Unica Zurn 1916-1970
Unica Zurn was a German author who hailed from an affluent family but struggled with significant emotional instability. She crossed paths with the artist Hans Bellmer, who introduced her to the surrealist movement of the time. Zurn's artistic talents were displayed through her anagrams and drawings, earning her the opportunity to be published in Berlin’s prestigious Springer gallery. She later formed a deep bond with the surrealist writer Henri Michaux, whose influence on her emotional state was profound. Zurn penned 'Der Mann Im Jasmin,' a deeply poetic and moving work about the man she loved. Not long after, she was hospitalized for depression and psychosis and even attempted suicide. This was the beginning of multiple admissions to psychiatric clinics in both Berlin and France. In 1970, she tragically took her own life.
5. Camille Claudel 1864-1943
Camille Claudel, a renowned French sculptor, is most famous for her passionate and complicated relationship with Auguste Rodin. Initially, he served as her mentor, but soon, recognizing her exceptional talent, he began to seek her input on his own sculptures. Together, they created many pieces, but despite her skill, it was Rodin who garnered all the media attention, and Camille was often viewed merely as his student. Eventually, she ventured out on her own but struggled to receive the recognition she deserved. In 1913, Claudel was committed to a psychiatric institution in France, where she spent the rest of her life in misery, ceasing to sculpt and receiving minimal visits, mainly from her brother, while the rest of her family neglected her. She passed away in 1943 from malnutrition, isolated and despairing in the hospital.
4. Aloize Corbaz 1888-1964
Aloize was a Swiss artist who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and admitted to a psychiatric institution during World War I. It wasn't until after 1920 that she began to create art through drawing and painting. Her work gained recognition when Jean Dubuffet, the theorist who coined the concept of Art Brut, included her pieces in his collection, establishing her as a prominent figure in the movement.
3. Sylvia Plath 1932-1963
Sylvia Plath was a renowned American writer and poet, married to the poet laureate Ted Hughes. Her literary talent was evident from a young age, having published her first poem at just eight years old, continuing to publish throughout her life. Over the course of her career, she released a dozen books, with all but one being poetry. Her sole novel, 'The Bell Jar' (1963), stands as a poignant account of her struggles. Plath's life was a battle with bipolar disorder, which ultimately led to her tragic suicide in 1963 at the age of 30. In the clip above, Plath reads her hauntingly powerful poem 'Daddy.'
2. Suzanna Kaysen 1948
Suzanna Kaysen penned her memoir, "Girl, Interrupted," in 1993, reflecting on her time at MacLean Psychiatric Hospital in 1967. She spent eighteen months there due to depression and borderline personality disorder. In 1999, James Mangold adapted her book into a film, where Susanna was portrayed by Winona Ryder, while Angelina Jolie brilliantly embodied another patient.
1. Zelda Fitzgerald 1900-1948
Zelda Fitzgerald, married to renowned writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald in 1920, became a prominent figure in elite literary circles in both the USA and Europe. Their extravagant lifestyle, fueled by abundant champagne, gradually took its toll. Scott descended into alcoholism, and Zelda's emotional instability led to numerous psychiatric admissions. In 1930, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. In 1932, while staying at Towson Psychiatric Clinic, she authored "Save Me the Waltz," a semi-autobiographical novel depicting her life with her husband. Zelda tragically died in 1948 in a fire at the Highland Mental Hospital, where she had been residing.
