This thesis aims to examine the interrogation and performance of generic lives and gendered selves in the poetry of John Berryman and Anne Sexton. In doing so I will give answers to the following questions: In how far did social norms influence the lyrical I’s way of thinking and acting?
Or were those societal restrictions excluded from the isolated situation of the poem? Are gender conventions more present in poems featuring a female persona? Not more than 60 years ago North America was strongly biased with unrealistic gender roles. Women were stereotyped as housewives whose greatest struggles were keeping husband and children satisfied, the household and their good looking. However, thousands of women missed to meet those expectations and considered themselves as individual failures. However, not only women suffered from social etiquette that was imposed on them. The excessive promotion of virility equally troubled many men.
Then, in the 1960s, there was a significant change. Influenced by the radical formations of various citizen movements gender concepts were challenged - not only in a political context but also within the arts. For the first time after centuries, poetry, again, dealt with political issues. This was the time of the Beats and the Confessional Poets. The latter group is often associated with poets such as John Berryman, Robert Lowell, Sylvia Plath, and Anne Sexton.
The works of Berryman and Sexton will be examined in more depth. Both of them used their poems to express their personal views on the conventions of the period. What was intended to serve as a form of self-therapy turned into poetic empowerment
for many Americans who experienced similar circumstances, but were too afraid to talk about it publicly. In this respect, Anne Sexton has often been considered as a precursor of following feminist movements. The lyric of the male poets of the time, however, has mostly been ignored in this context. Both poets were working during the 1950s and 60s, both experienced socially imposed gender treatments, both lived the 'generic life'. The expression refers to the seemingly predetermined lifestyle of these poets including parental difficulties in their childhood, excessive alcohol and drug abuse, mental disorders, publicly displayed affairs, as well as suicidal tendencies.
While Sexton’s poetry continuously tackles the problem of gender conventions, Berryman’s remarks on the topic are rather subtle.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theoretical Main Part
2.1 Gender Theory
2.2 Confessional Poetry
2.3 The Poet and the Woman-Poet
2.3 On America’s Society, Gender Roles and Poetry in the 1950s and 60s
2.5 Biographies
2.5.1 John Berryman
2.5.2 Anne Sexton
3 Analytical Main Part
3.1 Gendered Selves in the poetry of John Berryman
3.2 Gendered Selves in the poetry of Anne Sexton
3.3 Summary
4 Conclusion
5 Works Cited
Objectives and Core Themes
This thesis examines how the poets John Berryman and Anne Sexton perform and interrogate gender roles and identity within the framework of "generic lives." It investigates the extent to which societal norms of the 1950s and 1960s influenced their lyrical expressions of self, identity, love, and isolation.
- The influence of societal gender norms on personal identity in poetry.
- Theoretical frameworks of gender performance (Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler).
- Comparative analysis of "Confessional Poetry" as a medium for social critique.
- The specific challenges and "double bind" experienced by women poets of the era.
- The interplay between personal trauma, suicidal tendencies, and the search for artistic agency.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Gendered Selves in the poetry of John Berryman
The case of gender identity in John Berryman's lyric is a complex one. This is partly due to the fact that gender remarks are placed more subtle in his poetry than in Sexton's. But what makes it even harder to depict is that Berryman wrote his most renowned poem from a woman's perspective. Hence, it must be considered what it means when a man writes like a woman.
Identity is a key motif in Berryman's poetry. This is because the lyrical I represents multifarious roles; a humiliated lover in Berryman's Sonnets, Henry Pussycat in the Dream Songs, Anne Bradstreet in "Homage To Mistress Bradstreet", to name just a few. Berryman even tackles this idea with character Henry wearing numerous different masks in The Dream Songs. Charles W. Thornbury outlines the effect that masks have on Henry's identity:
A mask allows Henry to be both something he is and something he is not, as in his mask of bravado as knight; as his dreams unfold, his masks play out views of himself that allow him 'to be'.
This suggests that existing obstacles thwart the character from being himself when he is awake. Henry puts on the mask of the knight, for instance, to appear nobler, stronger and probably manlier, for knights were the ideogram of masculinity in medieval times. But nevertheless, when his mask disappears it leaves him miserable and weak.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the societal context of gender roles in the mid-20th century and defines the research interest in the poetry of Berryman and Sexton.
2 Theoretical Main Part: Provides a foundation in gender theory, defines the scope of Confessional Poetry, and explores the biographical backgrounds of both poets.
3 Analytical Main Part: Analyzes motifs such as identity, love, accusation, and empowerment in the works of Berryman and Sexton, concluding with a comparative summary.
4 Conclusion: Evaluates the findings of the research, confirming that both poets struggled with and reflected the restrictive gender conventions of their time.
5 Works Cited: A comprehensive list of academic sources and primary literature used throughout the thesis.
Keywords
John Berryman, Anne Sexton, Confessional Poetry, Gender Identity, Gender Performativity, 1950s and 60s, American Society, Feminism, Suburban Housewife, The Other, Identity Performance, Lyric I, Patriarchy, Social Norms, Self-Empowerment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the construction and interrogation of gendered identities in the poetry of John Berryman and Anne Sexton during the 1950s and 60s.
What are the core thematic areas?
The study centers on gender theory, the literary genre of Confessional Poetry, historical gender roles in mid-century America, and the poets' individual biographies.
What is the central research question?
It investigates how social norms and gender restrictions influenced the poets' expression of the "lyrical I" and whether their work succeeded in breaking free from these constraints.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The analysis utilizes literary analysis combined with theoretical frameworks from gender studies, specifically citing Simone de Beauvoir and Judith Butler.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main part is divided into a theoretical section and an analytical section that compares specific motifs like identity, love, and isolation in the poetry of both authors.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Gender Performativity, Confessional Poetry, Identity, 1950s American Society, and Empowerment.
How does the "generic life" concept relate to both poets?
It refers to the seemingly predetermined, tragic patterns of life experienced by both poets, including childhood trauma and substance abuse, which they addressed in their work.
How does Berryman's use of masks serve his poetry?
Berryman uses masks, such as the persona of Henry, to explore different facets of identity and to navigate the conflicts between societal expectations of masculinity and personal reality.
What is the "double bind" of the woman-poet described by Sexton?
It refers to the conflict between traditional gender roles, such as being a wife and mother, and the intellectual and professional demands of being a poet.
- Quote paper
- Elena Mertel (Author), 2017, The Performance and Interrogation of 'Generic Lives' and Gendered Selves in the Confessional Poetry of John Berryman and Anne Sexton, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/498158
