After exploring much of Richard Brautigan’s Trout Fishing in America and his poetry it is clear to see that he has a very distinct style. Upon first inspection his vocabulary and line structure seem quite elementary, and almost child-like, but he is able to capture the attention and stir great emotion within the reader (whether it be a positive or negative reaction is hard to say) but Brautigan does not sacrifice his poetic genius to make his reader feel more comfortable with the material. His poetry, as well as his prose, takes many risks with a variety of tones, structures, and themes. I suppose it is reasonable to suggest that aspects of Brautigan’s writing are a tad sexist, but I don’t believe that misogyny is a central theme to his writing by any means. He seems to regard women in very positive fashion, even if at times it seems a bit risqué. I think that this idea is visible in “I Live in the Twentieth Century”,
I live in the Twentieth Century
and you lie here beside me. You
were unhappy when you fell asleep.
There was nothing I could do about
it. I felt helpless. Your face
is so beautiful that I cannot stop
to describe it, and there’s nothing
I can do to make you happy while
you sleep.
In this selection many things stand out to me as being significant, especially when considering the gender dynamic. This is one of Brautigan’s, more subdued poems in comparison to some of his other work but I think it gives the reader great insight to his feelings regarding Marcia or more specifically, women as a whole. He uses very powerful word combinations to set his tone, like “I felt helpless” because he was unable to make her happy, or “Your face is so beautiful that I cannot stop to describe it” these passages show his tenderness as well as his adoration of feminine beauty. I think that the tone of this piece is quite warm and almost loving. His all encompassing gaze seems to protect her as she sleeps even if he can’t make her happy. To elaborate further on style, it is relatively simplistic but I believe that it is the simplicity that makes it so beautiful. He is able to illustrate complex emotions and themes through everyday language and basic structure, which have a great impact on his audience.
My question for the week is: What specific elements of Brautigan’s poetry/prose separate him from the Beats?
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1 comment:
C...I agree - this does seem like a more mellow version of RB, but I think you're also right to point out the familiar moves of using tough contrasts (Your face is so beautiful/there's nothing I can do to make you happy while you sleep) and tensions. A tender poem, to be sure, but perhaps strangely similar to the more whimsical pieces? I think you're right that it's "almost loving"...what makes it "almost" I wonder? Are there particular words or stylistic elements (structure, etc.) that suggest this?
As to your question about RB vs. the Beats, it might be useful to talk about what concerns RB brings in, as a sort of post-Beat figure. But of course, in the end, even the Beats were different from each other!
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