Introduction
Susan Howe, born in 1937, is an influential American poet known for her complex interplay of historical narrative and linguistic innovation. Identified with the "Language poets," a group skeptical of language's ability to fully convey experience, Howe distinguishes herself by embracing visionary poetry, creating emotionally resonant works that surpass the impact of her peers. Her poetic style is marked by an attention to page design, using wide margins and strategic spaces to enhance the visual and emotional effect of her texts, as seen in works like Pythagorean Silence (1982).
Beginning her career as a visual artist, this sensibility informs her poetry's aesthetic, which often uses phonetically similar diction and explores multiple meanings within words. Her work frequently reflects on historical events to comment on contemporary issues, as exemplified by Defenestration of Prague (1983), which connects a 17th-century religious conflict to modern-day tensions. Similarly, her exploration of the Eikon Basilike in A Bibliography of the King's Book (1989) highlights themes of authenticity and historical manipulation.
Howe's Pierce-Arrow (1999) delves into the life of philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce and his wife, examining the role of women in history through a blend of historical documents and myth. Her approach to poetry often blends multiple genres, resulting in a fragmentary syntax that some critics find disorienting, while others appreciate its originality and depth. As noted by 'Collision or Collusion with History’: Susan Howe's Articulation of Sound Forms in Time, Howe's work is shaped by historical, mythic, and linguistic elements with a unique feminist perspective.
Critics such as Kathleen Crown highlight her iconoclastic approach to traditional lyric conventions and historiography, emphasizing her dissociated and multiple sensibility. Despite some criticisms of her irregular layouts, her exploration of patriarchal history and figures like Emily Dickinson and Mary Magdalene has been widely acclaimed, positioning her alongside experimental poets like Wallace Stevens and Ezra Pound. Howe's work remains a compelling intersection of artistic endeavor, historical inquiry, and feminist critique, as discussed by Rachel Blau DuPlessis and others.
Susan Howe's work represents a significant contribution to contemporary poetry, distinguished by her innovative blending of genres and her challenging of traditional literary norms. Her poetry often interweaves historical documents, myth, and linguistic elements with a feminist critique, creating a distinctive narrative style that resonates with readers and critics alike. Howe's exploration of language and history frequently involves a reexamination of patriarchal narratives and historical figures, garnering comparisons to other experimental poets such as Wallace Stevens, Ezra Pound, and Marianne Moore.
In Pierce-Arrow (1999), Howe delves into the life of philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce and his wife, using a fragmentary syntax that combines historical and mythical narratives to question the role of women in history. This work, like much of her poetry, has been described as disorienting by some due to its non-linear structure, yet others, such as Marjorie Perloff, appreciate its originality and depth, noting its articulation of sound forms in time.
Critics including Kathleen Crown and Rachel Blau DuPlessis emphasize Howe's iconoclastic approach to both lyric conventions and historiography. Her dissociated, multiple sensibility is reflected in her irregular layouts and her acclaimed exploration of historical figures like Emily Dickinson and Mary Magdalene. This approach situates her work at a compelling intersection of artistic innovation, historical inquiry, and feminist critique.
Howe's unique narrative style is further recognized in the critical sphere, where her autonomy of poetry from critical theory and genre blending in works of poetry, prose, and autobiography are both perplexing and praised for originality. Critics like George F. Butterick and Devine Johnston have noted her engagement with and challenge to established literary norms, solidifying her status as a leading experimental poet in America.
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