‘Between the Blank Page and the Poem’: Reading Simone Weil in Contemporary American Poets
Publication Type |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication |
2007 |
Author |
|
Journal |
Cambridge Quarterly |
Volume |
36 |
Number |
2 |
Pages |
129-54 |
Work Type |
Article |
Language |
English |
Keywords |
attention |
Annotation |
Fan argues the poetry and literary criticism about Simone Weil speaks to the complexity and paradox inherent in her work. It is Weil’s position as an intermediary, a metaxu, which underlies this complexity, giving rise to diverse and sometimes contradictory treatment of her life and work. Fan begins with a discussion of the manner in which Stephanie Strickland’s poetic work highlights the multiple levels, means and difficulties in interpreting Weil’s thought. She then goes on to briefly discuss Joan Dargan’s, T. S. Eliot’s, Susan Sontag’s and George Steiner’s treatment of Weil, followed by a more in-depth discussion of Weil’s importance in the work of Seamus Henry. She also looks at the poetic nature of Weil’s work itself, before turning to discuss the treatment of Weil’s thought in the work of Eliot, Sontag and Steiner, comparing it to that of the American poets Stephanie Strickland and Fanny Howe. Fan gives much attention to the latter’s writing on ‘Quietism’ in relation to Weil. Fan concludes her discussion with an examination of the poetry of Jori Graham. Although focused on the work of the poets and critics, the article provides an interesting and informed discussion of some of the central themes in Weil’s work. |