Starting out my post-graduate studies, I never imagined that the 17th century would be my area of literary and historical focus. Initially, the poetry of the romantic period attracted me. The earlier poets, Donne, Jonson, Dryden, Pope were intimidating—especially the allusions to Christianity. As I get older, the Romantics seemed fluffy, verbose. As I get older, I face a truth. Whatever power I had wielded were rooted in my looks.
Therefore, it took a handful of years to come to terms with my membership in The Invisibility Club, somewhere around my mid-forties. Previously, I never had to test gender limitations. I knew instinctively how to use my power. A graduate school course in literary theory (thank you Professor Holly Laird) introduced me to feminist theory. I still avoid the angrier theorists, but in re-reading some Bread Loaf journaling, I see how I was attracted to Helène Cixous’ more joyful writing, especially when referring to women writers. I had forgotten how I cited her approach to feminist theory in one of my Oxford papers on 17th century poet Anne Finch. In fact, it was while researching this paper that I first met Mary of Modena, the focus of my book, Rain Dodging.*
While winding in and out of research, I landed in an era of repression so complete, that I felt outrage for the first time and knew there was an angle from which I needed to delve. Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own” entered the picture: One of the thrills of researching is when things begin to connect. “Only connect.” –WH Forrester
Cixous’ poetic essay, The Laugh of Medusa (1975) intends to break structural norms set by patriarchy. She prefers a more playful, imaginative medium, urging women to write extensively. Cixous coins the concept of ‘écriture feminisne, translated, ‘feminine writing.’ She uses the Greek myth of monster Medusa, the fierce, ugly woman, full of rage with snakes instead of hair. Cixous argues that this narrative of Medusa has “been distorted by patriarchal man to depict woman who have desires as dangerous, contrary to the beautiful, loyal virgin princess that is adored by them.”
Woman must write herself and must put herself
into the text—as into the world and into history—by her own movement. Write your self. Your body
must be heard.
*Release date: October, ’23, She Writes Press
