Obviously in the Utopia World Anthology of Committed Individuals, Rukeyser
would be included. It might even be a fun game to compile such, taking
Silkin's title.
In the anthology Silkin put together from Stand contributors (that's right
isn't it?) in 1973 and published with Gollancz, she wasn't there.
It's a rare book and must have had a small press run.
Interestingly enough, Rukeyser and Silkin have a lot in common. Both born
in their respective metropolises to upwardly mobile Jewish families, both
strongly left in politics, etc. Rukeyser was less rebellious though, doing
the Vassar thing. And I wouldn't say she was ever erased.
David Latane
On Sun, 7 May 2000, A.J. Croggon wrote:
> In this kind of argument, I can't but think of Muriel Rukeyser, surely the
> epitome of a committed poet. Was she in this anthology? In her case, her
> sex was not helped by her communism, and her reputation underwent a big
> decline after she was targeted by McCarthy. Was she more readily erased
> because she was a woman?
>
> Best
>
> Alison
>
>
> On Sat, 6 May 2000 [log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> > 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!
> >
>
>
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