“ELUSIVE AS AN ELEGY, DARING AS DUSK”: PENELOPE SHUTTLE’S “MISSING YOU” AS CONTEMPORARY POETRY OF MOURNING Cover Image

„NEUHVATLJIV POPUT ELEGIJE, NEUSTRAŠIV POPUT SUMRAKA”: „NEDOSTAJEŠ MI” AUTORKE PENELOPI ŠATL KAO SAVREMENA TUŽBALICA
“ELUSIVE AS AN ELEGY, DARING AS DUSK”: PENELOPE SHUTTLE’S “MISSING YOU” AS CONTEMPORARY POETRY OF MOURNING

Author(s): Bojana Vujin
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Other Language Literature
Published by: Филозофски факултет, Универзитет у Новом Саду
Keywords: contemporary English poetry; elegy; feminist criticism; Penelope Shuttle

Summary/Abstract: Due to humanity’s proclivity to mourn their dead, it is only natural that poetry of grief, such as elegy, proved to be one of the most resilient modes of poetic expression. During its long history, elegy has undergone numerous modifications, reflecting changes in both society and poetry. As it is more and more difficult to find solace either in nature or religion, contemporary elegists struggle with the expression of grief, often turning to irony or humour. Gender, too, plays an important role in the construction of mourning poetry, with the masculine elegy focusing on poetic competition and emotional substitution, and the feminine elegy relying upon connection and the process of recuperation instead. The paper analyses “Missing You”, a long poem from Penelope Shuttle’s collection Redgrove’s Wife (2006), investigating its status as a contemporary feminine elegy.

  • Issue Year: 43/2018
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 127-139
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: English