Robert Duncan (1919-1988)

A selective list of online literary criticism for American poet Robert Duncan, favoring signed articles by recognized scholars, articles published in peer-reviewed sources

main page | 20th-century literature | 20th-century poetry | San Francisco Renaissance| Black Mountain poets

literary criticism & introduction

Bertholf, Robert. A group of articles on Robert Duncan as a result of the acquisition of his papers by the Poetry Collection at SUNY Buffalo. Jacket 28 (2005).

Davidson, Michael. "Robert Duncan: A metaphysical quotient." Jacket 26 (Oct. 2004).

Duncan, Robert. Interview with John Tranter, May 4, 1985. Jacket 26 (Oct. 2004).

Everson, William. Fellow San Francisco Renaissance poet William Everson on Duncan's work and life, and the influence of the Black Mountain Group on Duncan's poetry. A negative influence, according to Everson, since Charles Olson was "a poet deficient in ear." Interview with Lee Bartlett. American Poetry, 1988.

Faas, Ekbert. Young Robert Duncan: Portrait of the Poet as Homosexual in Society (Black Sparrow Books, 1983). Short summary of his biography at publisher's web site.

Hamilton, Jeff. "Wrath Moves In the Music: Robert Duncan, Laura Riding, Craft and Force in Cold War Poetics." Jacket 26 (Oct. 2004).

Nelson, Cary. An introduction to Robert Duncan plus excerpts of reputable critical discussions of some poems, from the Modern American Poetry Site (U of Illinois).

O’Leary, Peter. A review of Robert Duncan and the Poetry of Illness (Wesleyan UO 2002) reviewed by Nathaniel Tarn in Jacket 22 (May 2003).

Palmer, Michael. The "Introduction," by noted poet Michael Palmer, to a combined edition of Robert Duncan's Ground Work: Before the War, and Ground Work II: In the Dark, to be published by New Directions in April 2006. Jacket 29 (April 2006).

An extended, introductory article on Robert Duncan's career, includes list of his works and a secondary reading list, from the Poetry Foundation.

main page | 20th-century literature | 20th-century poetry | San Francisco Renaissance| Black Mountain poets

1998-2010 by LiteraryHistory.com