Charles Olson, figure de proue de la deuxième génération du modernisme américain, a servi de lien entre les premiers modernistes et les New American Poets, influençant les mouvements postmodernes ultérieurs. Il se décrivait non pas tant comme poète ou écrivain, mais comme "un archéologue du matin", soulignant un profond intérêt pour les origines et la création. Olson prônait une métrique poétique basée sur le souffle et le rythme naturel, s'affranchissant des contraintes de la syntaxe et de la logique. Ses œuvres complexes explorent souvent des thèmes sociaux, historiques et politiques, tandis que ses vers plus courts révèlent une voix sincère, accessible et émotionnellement résonnante.
Charles Olson's influence on the development of British and American poetry through his writing and teaching is immense. His work encompasses myth, history, scholarship and politics. This book includes extracts from a range of Olson's poetry and prose, including letters, interviews and the full text of the key essay 'Projective Verse'.
The exploration of Shakespeare's influence on Melville's Moby-Dick is a central theme, as the author presents the groundbreaking "theory of the two Moby-Dicks." This theory posits that Melville's reading of King Lear significantly shaped his narrative, suggesting that the first version lacked key elements like Ahab. The book's experimental style and organization sparked debate among contemporary critics, marking it as a pivotal work in American literary criticism. This reprint preserves the original's integrity, offering insights into Melville's creative process.
"...a balanced and superbly rendered picture of one of America's greatest poets."---Peter Anastas --
This landmark collection of Charles Olson's work, edited by Robert Creeley, features poems from "The Distances" and "Maximus Poems," alongside the "Mayan Letters," "Appolonius of Tyana," and his influential manifesto on "Projective Verse." Olson is celebrated as a key figure bridging modern poetic movements.
Výber z poézie Charlesa Olsona vo výbere Roberta Creeleyho, ktorý zbierku opatril aj úvodným slovom. Preložil Miroslav Holub.
Charles Olson (1910-1970) war der zentrale Vertreter der 'Black Mountain Poets', zu der auch bekannte Künstler wie John Cage und Rauschenberg gehörten. In seinen Erzählungen würdigt er seinen Vater auf liebevolle Weise.