Adrienne C. Rich: A Poet of Varied Hues
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Abstract
Adrienne C. Rich is a modern American writer, whose poetry and prose from the earliest (early sixties) to the present, has been whole heartedly a deliberation on contemporary issues and a redefining of aesthetic ideals. She surfaces through her extraordinary poetry as a “pioneer” in poetry of empowerment (Gelpi xi). But, critics consistently in the last more than four decades have made formulaic theses discussing feminism in Rich’s poetry. They continue hammering their single track thematic of feminism. But, this is half the truth. They fail to study how she seeks through her writings empowerment for the marginalized, the downtrodden people existing on the fringes. Be that women in one case, isolated and ostracized communities and clans in another case. If we look at her simply as a feminist we are reading only half the message in her essays and poems. Composing of poetry goes beyond a process of self-discovery and self-definition. In fact a large part of her poetry is both a deliberation on contemporary issues and a redefining of aesthetic ideals.
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