How do the new “gender movements” (feminism, gay and lesbian liberation) articulate their concerns in recent British poetry?

Elaboration , 2006 , 10 Pages , Grade: 2,7

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

British poetry after 1945 has seen many changes not only concerning themes but also concerning the writers of poetry. While there was not much women, gay and lesbian poetry before the 1960s, women, gay, and lesbian writers came to the notice in the early 1960s. Ever since the 1960s, more women and homosexual poets have published their poems than ever before and forced their way into the mainstream. Nevertheless, as members of a minority group in writing, they all have to carry a burden. Therefore, writers express their concerns through their every day experiences, but want to challenge their being as writers of a minority group in order to be acknowledged as mainstream writers.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Women in British Poetry
• A History of Women in Poetry
• Language and Identity
• Sexuality and Family
• Gender
• Gay and Lesbian Poetry
• The Rise of Homosexual Poetry
• Homosexuality and the Personal is Political
• Discrimination and Liberation
• Lesbian Identity and the Women's Movement

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This text aims to explore the emergence and development of feminist, gay, and lesbian voices within British poetry after 1945. It analyzes how these marginalized groups articulated their concerns and challenged traditional notions of gender, sexuality, and social identity.

• The historical context of women and homosexuals in British poetry
• The use of language and form to challenge traditional representations
• The exploration of sexuality, family, and gender roles
• The impact of the "personal is political" movement on gay and lesbian writers
• The struggle for recognition and equality within a patriarchal and homophobic society

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Women in British Poetry: This section discusses the historical underrepresentation of women in British poetry, highlighting the reasons for this exclusion and the challenges women writers faced. It explores how women poets used language and form to express their unique perspectives and challenge traditional gender roles. It further examines how themes of sexuality, family, and gender were central to their work.
• Gay and Lesbian Poetry: This section focuses on the emergence of gay and lesbian poetry as a distinct voice in British literature. It explores how homosexual writers navigated discrimination and fought for recognition and equality. It examines the impact of the "personal is political" movement on their work, and how they used their writing to challenge societal norms and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This text focuses on the intersections of gender, sexuality, and identity in British poetry after 1945. Key concepts include feminist poetry, gay and lesbian literature, marginalized voices, social change, language and identity, sexual liberation, discrimination, and the "personal is political" movement. It examines the impact of these themes on the work of writers such as Jane Dowson, Peter Childs, Lyn Pykett, Judy Grahn, and Annamarie Jagose.

• College: Free University of Berlin (Institut für Englische Philologie)
• Course: Surveying English Literatures II: Poetry of the Postwar Period
• Grade: 2,7
• Author: Magister Anke Werckmeister (Author)
• Publication Year: 2006
• Pages: 10
• Catalog Number: V202230
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656283010
• ISBN (Book): 9783656283522
• Language: English
• Tags: British Poetry of the Post-War, Poetry of the Postwar Period, gay and lesbian poetry, gender movements, feminism, gay and lesbian liberation, 1945-1990s