[Vision2020] Ezra Pound? Pleeeeze!
Melynda Huskey
mghuskey@hotmail.com
Thu, 6 Mar 2003 20:48:47 -0800
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Tim Lohrmann notes that: "Usually the work of openly racist, facist anti-=
semites is viewed as somewhat discredited. Pound was undeniably an "inter=
esting" fellow and was even born in Idaho, but his treasonous speeches in=
favor of Mussolini and Hitler, his habitual anti-Jewish rants, and his a=
pparent insanity don't lend much credence to his social commentary."
The poem I quoted was written in 1920. It is not anti-Semitic, nor is it=
pro-fascist. Pound was hospitalized in 1941 for mental illness, after m=
aking pro-fascist, profoundly anti-Semitic radio broadcasts in Italy. He=
didn't write much poetry during or after that period. =20
I'd suggest that it is unfair to assume that his later mental illness tai=
nts everything he wrote, and that you'd better be prepared to toss out ne=
arly all of British and American literature if the work of open racists a=
nd anti-Semites is to be discarded, rather than evaluated.
Best,
Melynda Huskey
=20
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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV> </DIV> <=
DIV>Tim Lohrmann notes that: "Usually the work of openly racist, facist a=
nti-semites is viewed as somewhat discredited. Pound was undeniably an "i=
nteresting" fellow and was even born in Idaho, but his treasonous speeche=
s in favor of Mussolini and Hitler, his habitual anti-Jewish rants, and h=
is apparent insanity don't lend much credence to his social commentary."<=
/DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The poem I quoted was written in 1920. =
It is not anti-Semitic, nor is it pro-fascist. Pound was hospitali=
zed in 1941 for mental illness, after making pro-fascist, profo=
undly anti-Semitic radio broadcasts in Italy. He didn't write much =
poetry during or after that period. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I=
'd suggest that it is unfair to assume that his later mental illness=
taints everything he wrote, and that you'd better be prepared to to=
ss out nearly all of British and American literature if the wor=
k of open racists and anti-Semites is to be discarded, rather than evalua=
ted.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mely=
nda Huskey</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <BR> </DI=
V></BODY></HTML><br clear=3Dall><hr>Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Expl=
orer download : <a href=3D'http://explorer.msn.com'>http://explorer.msn.c=
om</a><br></p>
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