The Poetry of Susan Howe: History, Theology, Authority (Modern and Contemporary Poetry and Poetics)

The Poetry of Susan Howe provides a comprehensive survey of the major works of one of America's foremost contemporary poets. The book describes the relationship between poetic form and the various configurations of history, religious thought, and authority in Howe's writing. Will Montgomery argues that her highly opaque texts reflect the resistance that the past offers to contemporary investigation. Addressing lyric, literary history, collage and visual poetics, The Poetry of Susan Howe is a lucid and persuasive investigation of the volatile movements of this extraordinary body of work. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 26 1 The Maternal Disinheritance......Page 28 The Liberties......Page 31 Scare Quotes (The Midnight)......Page 44 2 The Ghost of the Father......Page 54 A Bibliography of the King's Book or, Eikon Basilike......Page 57 The Nonconformist's Memorial......Page 68 3 Susan Howe's Renaissance......Page 82 Pythagorean Silence......Page 84 Defenestration of Prague......Page 95 4 The Poetics of American Space......Page 106 Articulation of Sound Forms in Time......Page 112 Thorow......Page 125 5 Enthusiasm, Telepathy, and Immediacy......Page 140 Melville's Marginalia......Page 144 Arisbe and The Leisure of the Theory Class (Pierce-Arrow)......Page 157 6 The Late Lyric......Page 172 Rückenfigur......Page 175 Bed Hangings......Page 181 Souls of the Labadie Tract......Page 187 Notes......Page 194 Bibliography......Page 224 General Index......Page 238 Index of Works......Page 244 The Poetry Of Susan Howe Provides A Comprehensive Survey Of The Major Works Of One Of America's Foremost Contemporary Poets. The Book Describes The Relationship Between Poetic Form And The Various Configurations Of History, Religious Thought And Authority In The Writing. Howe's Poetry, In This Account, Is A Means Of Reflecting The Resistance That The Past Offers To Contemporary Investigation - The Effacement, And Not The Recovery, Of History's Victims Is Discernible In The Contours Of These Highly Opaque Texts. Addressing Lyric, Literary History And Visual Poetics, The Poetry Of Susan Howe Is A Lucid And Persuasive Investigation Of The Volatile Movements Of This Extraordinary Body Of Work-- Introduction -- The Maternal Disinheritance -- The Ghost Of The Father -- Susan Howe's Renaissance -- The Poetics Of American Space -- Enthusiasm, Telepathy, And Immediacy -- The Late Lyric. Will Montgomery. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. "The Poetry of Susan Howe provides a comprehensive survey of the major works of one of America's foremost contemporary poets. The book describes the relationship between poetic form and the various configurations of history, religious thought and authority in the writing. Howe's poetry, in this account, is a means of reflecting the resistance that the past offers to contemporary investigation - the effacement, and not the recovery, of history's victims is discernible in the contours of these highly opaque texts. Addressing lyric, literary history and visual poetics, The Poetry of Susan Howe is a lucid and persuasive investigation of the volatile movements of this extraordinary body of work"-- Provided by publisher