The question I ask was serious, insofar as I was really perplexed,
insofar as I think Silkin is (was, sadly) really a) one of the good
guys, and b) no misogynist. Which is far enough. The suggestion
concerning blocked access to women writers' work is intriguing. Would
this have applied to, say, Adrienne (Cecile) Rich, who I believe was
publishing at the time?
Silkin's editorial radar can't be expected to have picked up people he
hadn't heard of because the channels (switch from radar to radio
metaphor) he was listening in on didn't broadcast them: without his
being personally unable to take women poets seriously, a more widespread
reluctance to do so might have kept some important writers from his
attention. Take Rich as my example, if you want to be more specific. But
if you don't think Rich is important, please at least attempt to think
of an important female writer who would serve the purposes of my
argument if you were inclined to make it, even if in fact you're not. Or
was Silkin very aware of (insert your own candidate for "important
female writer of period" here) and simply forbidden to publish her?
- Dom
p.s. Born yesterday, to Sarah Cavanagh and myself, a baby Oliver.
Hooray!
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|