Ezra Pound

Macon Moore

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Early Life

Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was born October 30, 1885.

Born in Hailey, Idaho Territory.Parents were Homer Loomis and Isabel

Weston Pound.He was given his mother’s last name

because she was related to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and her father was Lt. Governor of Wisconsin.

Education

Entered University of Pennsylvania at 15 and, after two years, transferred to Hamilton College.H

He received a bachelors in philology in 1905 and returned to earn his masters in Romance philology in 1906.

One of a few writers/poets of this time who did not drop out.

Networking

In college, Pound met William Carlos Williams and H.D.

He was engaged to H.D. for a while but nothing came from it.

Teacher

Pound taught at Wabash College in Indiana.

This venture ended when he allowed a stranded actress to stay in his room.

This caused a scandal and he resigned as teacher.

Early Writing Career

Pound moved to Europe and settled in London in 1908.

There, Pound published his first work, A Lume Spento.

What Inspired Pound

Pre-Raphaelites and other poets from the 19th century.

Ford Madox Ford.T.E. Hulmed.Pound thought the greatest poet that

was alive was William Butler Yeats.The two became friends and Pound

married Olivia Shakespear who was a former lover of Yeats.

Imagism

Ezra Pound is known as the Father of Imagism.

Imagism is using heavy, descriptive, and visualizing words to get the message across.

This usually results in a short poem/story rich in images.

Imagism brought other writers’ works into focus, such as Marianne Moore, Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, H.D., James Joyce, T.S. Elliot, and many more.

World War I and Paris

World War I destroyed Pound’s belief in modern western civilization.

He moved to Paris where he carroused with the famous authors mentioned above.

They all hung out at Gertrude Stein’s appartment.

This is where she coined “lost generation” because all of these expatraite writers had had their lives destroyed by WWI.

Italy

Pound moved to Italy in 1924.He began trying his hand at marble

sculptures but it never took him anywhere.

Pound became acquanted with Benito Mussolini and stated that he supported Fascism to Communism over a radio broadcast.

With WWII breaking out, remaining in Italy would reveal to be a poor decision.

World War II

When the United States entered the war, Pound was against their involvement and made statements that the war was about economic problems.

He made statements that favored the Axis powers over the Allies.

This caused him many trials in the future when U.S. soldiers invaded Italy.

Arrested for Treason

Pound was arrested for Treason against the United States and was taken to a detention camp.

Here he was kept in a cage for 25 days outside and suffered a nervous breakdown.

Pound was brought home to be tried for treason after the war ended.

St. Elizabeth’s Hospital

Pound was to be tried for treason, but since Mussolini’s state never was recognized by the United States, he couldn’t be tried.

Pound didn’t know this, so he pleaded insanity.

Because of his plea, he was sent to St. Elizabeth’s mental hospital where he remained for 12 years until 1958.

Release and Death

After being released from the mental institution, Pound moved back to Italy to finish his most famous work, The Cantos.

Famous Works

The Cantos (1975) (Compiled and finished after his death.) (Poems and other works.)

A Lume Spento (Poems.)Thrones (Poems.)Poems (Poems.)A Few Don’ts. (Essay.)

Legacy

Pound’s life and works have influenced all of the above-named authors.

He gave us Imagism and therefore Modernism.

His actions and alligences were strange but there is no doubt he is an important person in the history of writing and poetry.

Pound was an editor to most modernist writers. Imagine their works without Pound’s Critique. Modernism might have been very different.

Interesting Fact

Ezra Pound loved to make cookies and entered contests for baking them but never won.

Pictures

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Sources

www.google.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ezra_Pound