Walt Whitman in Jewish American poetry: Charles reznikoff and allen ginsberg

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Abstract

This essay examines the adoption of Walt Whitman's poetics and ethos in the work of the Jewish American poet Charles Reznikoff, and the influence of both on Allen Ginsberg. Apart from Ginsberg-whose embrace of Whitman is widely recognized-Whitman's significance in the writing of other Jewish American poets is often overlooked. Reznikoff, of the Jewish objectivist group, was linked to high modernist figures like Ezra Pound and William Carlos Williams. Poets of the era, including Pound, expressed uncertain views of Whitman; moreover, anti-Jewish sentiments were promoted by Pound, T. S. Eliot, and others. In keeping with high modernist sensibilities, Reznikoff's poetry does not appear to be Whitmanian in style. This essay illuminates Reznikoff's frequent allusions to Whitman and argues that Ginsberg's later adoption of Whitman is informed by his interpretation of Reznikoff's poetics. Together, Reznikoff and Ginsberg are a case study within the genealogy of Jewish poets in America, who turn to the non-Jewish Whitman.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Oxford Handbook of Walt Whitman
PublisherOxford University Press
Pages627-643
Number of pages17
ISBN (Electronic)9780191915703
ISBN (Print)9780192894847
DOIs
StatePublished - 22 Feb 2024

Keywords

  • Allen Ginsberg
  • Charles Reznikoff
  • Ezra Pound
  • High modernism
  • Jewish American culture
  • Jewish American poetry
  • Jewish objectivist group
  • Walt Whitman

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Social Sciences

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