Objectivism is a literary movement that evolved from the Imagism movement and placed a higher value on the object of attention (what the poet is perceiving, like a man observing a mountain.) and making the poem an object of perception itself. In other words, the poem itself becomes an object capable of existing and interacting with the world around it.
Origin
"Objectivist" was a term coined by Louis Zukofsky in 1931.[1] Zukofsky defined Objectivism as having two (2) goals: 1) treating a poem as an object and 2) value of the object of attention. His sentiments were to enlarge the view of the poem's clarity, intellect, and sincerity as it looked at the world. [2] The movement "owed a great deal to Imagism" but went beyond it as the Objectivists wanted more than to have the poem work as a simple window--they wanted it to be its own object with deliberate fragmentation and a disruption in rhythm. [3] Objectivism placed a higher emphasis and value on using metonymy as opposed to metaphor because "metaphor lies." Objectivism asks "What if the 'I' is part of the object?" because "I am made up of what I see, smell, touch, and taste." Additionally, Ezra Pound influenced the objectivist desire to create a "poem containing history."[4]
Poets Known for Objectivism
Louis Zukofsky -- created the term "objectivist" however he never actually used the word "Objectivism" and denied leadership of the movement. [5]
George Oppen[6] -- "We awaken at once to objects and ourselves." This quote from Oppen goes to show that he placed the emphasis on objects before the self.
Lorine Niedecker[7] --her early work was influenced by Objectivist poets such as Louis Zukofsky who also happened to mentor her.[8]
William Carlos Williams[9] --originally a poet with the Imagist movement, he quickly began to disagree with certain values involved with it and turned his attention towards creating an entirely new American Poetic focused on everyday circumstances of life. [10]
Charles Reznikoff[11] --Gained recognition as principle proponent for Objectivist movement during the 1930's and worked along side Zukofsky in the establishment of the Objectivist Press, which showcased and published Objectivist works.[12]
Carl Rakosi[13] --His start into the world of poetry began with one of his poems being included in the 1931 issue of Zukofsky's Poetry. Rakosi struggled with the term Objectivists because all having a difference in style it grew difficult to unify them all under the same movement.[14]
Academic Interpretation
In Lorine Niedecker's North Central she is deliberately indeterminate where one poem stops and the next begins. Each short section could be deemed a complete poem in it's own right, or the poems could be divided by the occasional centered title-like "headings" in italics, or even the poems could be divided by the even sparser left-justified all-caps-text "headings". She is just as indeterminate with her meaning behind the poems. This ambiguity is a signature of the Objectivism style. Also, Niedecker's use of metonymy is extensive throughout North Central and is also a foundation requirement of Objectivism. While she might be indeterminate about her meaning she does not cross into metaphor, leaving the reader to make the associations.
"Through all this granite land
the sign of the cross
Beauty: impurities in the rock"
- from "Lake Superior"
In this excerpt from North Central the Objectivism can be seen clearly. Just this short excerpt makes the reader question: missionaries? crucifix? a person crossing himself? two roads crossing? maybe missionaries with a crucifix crossing themselves at a crossroads? is beauty really the impurities in the rock? is beauty sarcastic? how are impurities in rock beautiful? is the impure rock a sign in the crossing of roads? Niedecker is adept at creating many possibilities for the reader while still being very succinct. No metaphors hide here. The 'granite land' is the United States of America that she is traveling through. The 'sign of a cross' is a physical cross, whether it be the crucifix or roads crossing. There really is a rock with impurities, whether the beauty is sarcastic or not. Niedecker breaks the conventions by creating poems with odd line breaks, utilizing lots of empty space, involving indeterminacy, and using lots of metonymy. Niedecker is an excellent example of an Objectivist poet.
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Objectivism is a literary movement that evolved from the Imagism movement and placed a higher value on the object of attention (what the poet is perceiving, like a man observing a mountain.) and making the poem an object of perception itself. In other words, the poem itself becomes an object capable of existing and interacting with the world around it.
Origin
"Objectivist" was a term coined by Louis Zukofsky in 1931.[1] Zukofsky defined Objectivism as having two (2) goals: 1) treating a poem as an object and 2) value of the object of attention. His sentiments were to enlarge the view of the poem's clarity, intellect, and sincerity as it looked at the world. [2] The movement "owed a great deal to Imagism" but went beyond it as the Objectivists wanted more than to have the poem work as a simple window--they wanted it to be its own object with deliberate fragmentation and a disruption in rhythm. [3] Objectivism placed a higher emphasis and value on using metonymy as opposed to metaphor because "metaphor lies." Objectivism asks "What if the 'I' is part of the object?" because "I am made up of what I see, smell, touch, and taste." Additionally, Ezra Pound influenced the objectivist desire to create a "poem containing history."[4]
Poets Known for Objectivism
Academic Interpretation
In Lorine Niedecker's North Central she is deliberately indeterminate where one poem stops and the next begins. Each short section could be deemed a complete poem in it's own right, or the poems could be divided by the occasional centered title-like "headings" in italics, or even the poems could be divided by the even sparser left-justified all-caps-text "headings". She is just as indeterminate with her meaning behind the poems. This ambiguity is a signature of the Objectivism style. Also, Niedecker's use of metonymy is extensive throughout North Central and is also a foundation requirement of Objectivism. While she might be indeterminate about her meaning she does not cross into metaphor, leaving the reader to make the associations.
"Through all this granite land
the sign of the cross
Beauty: impurities in the rock"
- from "Lake Superior"
In this excerpt from North Central the Objectivism can be seen clearly. Just this short excerpt makes the reader question: missionaries? crucifix? a person crossing himself? two roads crossing? maybe missionaries with a crucifix crossing themselves at a crossroads? is beauty really the impurities in the rock? is beauty sarcastic? how are impurities in rock beautiful? is the impure rock a sign in the crossing of roads? Niedecker is adept at creating many possibilities for the reader while still being very succinct. No metaphors hide here. The 'granite land' is the United States of America that she is traveling through. The 'sign of a cross' is a physical cross, whether it be the crucifix or roads crossing. There really is a rock with impurities, whether the beauty is sarcastic or not. Niedecker breaks the conventions by creating poems with odd line breaks, utilizing lots of empty space, involving indeterminacy, and using lots of metonymy. Niedecker is an excellent example of an Objectivist poet.
Other Works by Objectivist Poets
Groundbreaking Book: "A" by Louis Zukofsky (1978)[15]
A little too little: Re-reading Lorine Niedecker--by Jenny Penberthy[16]
References
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