Gender and the poetics of excess

Description:

The argument posed in this analysis is that the poetic excesses of several major female poets, excesses that have been typically regarded as flaws in their work, are strategies for escaping the inhibiting and sometimes inimical conventions too often imposed on women writers. The forms of excess vary with each poet, but by conceiving of poetic excess in relation to literary decorum, this study establishes a shared motivation for such a strategy. Literary decorum is one instrument a culture employs to constrain its writers. Perhaps it is the most effective because it is the least definable.

subjects: American Experimental poetry,  American poetry,  Authorship,  Experimental poetry, American,  History,  History and criticism,  Literary form,  Sex differences,  Women and literature,  Women authors,  Poetry, history and criticism,  Poetry, women authors,  American poetry, women authors,  American poetry, history and criticism, 20th century,  Authorship, sex differences

Places: United States

Times: 20th century