“The woman who confesses is frequently read as testifying only to her anguish and her own “weakness”; she is simply revealing the awfulness of femininity which was known to be there all along, and which, in the most simplistic terms has led to her oppression in the first place. And it is here that we see the exact nature of the problem: for if the woman poet does remain silent, if the awfulness of her confessional truth is such that it will only oppress her further, she is left where she started and cannot speak at all. Alternatively, she can speak a version of self which also confirms a certain kind of femininity – that of beauty, passivity, orderliness and self-control – but which nevertheless fails to “tell it like it is”.”
- Deryn Rees-Jones, Consorting with Angels: Essays on Modern Women Poets (Bloodaxe, 2005)
Read more about Deryn Rees-Jones, Consorting with Angels and Modern Women Poets, the companion anthology to Consorting with Angels.
Tags: anthologies, Bloodaxe, books, Consorting with Angels, Deryn Rees-Jones, essays on modern women poets, literary criticism, literary quotes, modern women poets, poetry, quotes, women poets, women writers, women writing
July 3, 2009 at 2:47 pm
MUST get this. Thanks, M.
July 4, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I was blown away by this. Second time back to read it: and it occurs to me this time that really the same is true in spades, mutatis mutandi, for male poets.
July 6, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Awesome! I have to get this one. Thank you, Michelle. Your recommendations are always excellent:)