Hannah Weiner
Encyclopedia
Hannah Adelle Weiner (4 November 1928 — 11 September 1997) was an American poet
who is often grouped with the Language poets
because of the prominent place she assumed in the poetics of that group.
and attended Classical High School
, until 1946, and then Radcliffe College
. She graduated with a B.A. in 1950, with a dissertation on Henry James
. Working in publishing and then in Bloomingdale's
department store, she was married and then divorced after four years. Weiner started writing poetry in 1963 though her first chapbook
, The Magritte Poems after Rene Magritte
, was published in 1970. It is not indicative of her latter work, being "basically a New York School attempt to write verse in response to the paintings of Rene Magritte". During the sixties she also organised and participated in a number of happenings with other members of the New York
art scene, where she had been living for some time. These included 'Hannah Weiner at Her Job', "a sort of open house hosted by her employer, A.H. Schreiber Co., Inc." and 'Fashion Show Poetry Event' with Eduardo Costa, John Perreault, Andy Warhol
and others in a "collaborative and innovative enterprise that incorporated conceptual art, design, poetry and performance."
writing and partly a result of her schizophrenia
. She influenced a number of the language poets
and was included in the In the American Tree anthology of Language poetry (edited by Ron Silliman
). Beginning with Little Books/Indians (1980) and Spoke (1984) Weiner's work engaged with Native American
politics, particularly the American Indian Movement
and the case of imprisoned activist Leonard Peltier
.
Interest in Weiner continues into the 21st century with the recent publication of Hannah Weiner’s Open House (2007), "a representative selection spanning her decades of poetic output" This volume was edited by Patrick F. Durgin, who provides an overview of Weiner's art:
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
who is often grouped with the Language poets
Language poets
The Language poets are an avant garde group or tendency in United States poetry that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
because of the prominent place she assumed in the poetics of that group.
Early life and writings
Weiner was born in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and attended Classical High School
Classical High School
Classical High School, founded in 1843, is a public exam school in the Providence School District, in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It was originally an all-male school, but has since become co-ed...
, until 1946, and then Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
. She graduated with a B.A. in 1950, with a dissertation on Henry James
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
. Working in publishing and then in Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
department store, she was married and then divorced after four years. Weiner started writing poetry in 1963 though her first chapbook
Chapbook
A chapbook is a pocket-sized booklet. The term chap-book was formalized by bibliophiles of the 19th century, as a variety of ephemera , popular or folk literature. It includes many kinds of printed material such as pamphlets, political and religious tracts, nursery rhymes, poetry, folk tales,...
, The Magritte Poems after Rene Magritte
René Magritte
René François Ghislain Magritte[p] was a Belgian surrealist artist. He became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images...
, was published in 1970. It is not indicative of her latter work, being "basically a New York School attempt to write verse in response to the paintings of Rene Magritte". During the sixties she also organised and participated in a number of happenings with other members of the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
art scene, where she had been living for some time. These included 'Hannah Weiner at Her Job', "a sort of open house hosted by her employer, A.H. Schreiber Co., Inc." and 'Fashion Show Poetry Event' with Eduardo Costa, John Perreault, Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
and others in a "collaborative and innovative enterprise that incorporated conceptual art, design, poetry and performance."
Mature work
In the early 1970s, Weiner began writing a series of journals that were partly the result of her experiments with automaticSurrealist techniques
Surrealism in art, poetry, and literature uses numerous techniques and games to provide inspiration. Many of these are said to free imagination by producing a creative process free of conscious control. The importance of the unconscious as a source of inspiration is central to the nature of...
writing and partly a result of her schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. She influenced a number of the language poets
Language poets
The Language poets are an avant garde group or tendency in United States poetry that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
and was included in the In the American Tree anthology of Language poetry (edited by Ron Silliman
Ron Silliman
Ron Silliman is an American poet. He has written and edited over 30 books, and has had his poetry and criticism translated into 12 languages. He is often associated with language poetry. Between 1979 and 2004, Silliman wrote a single poem, The Alphabet...
). Beginning with Little Books/Indians (1980) and Spoke (1984) Weiner's work engaged with Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
politics, particularly the American Indian Movement
American Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by urban Native Americans. The national AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty...
and the case of imprisoned activist Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement . In 1977 he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for first degree murder in the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents during a 1975 conflict on the Pine...
.
Interest in Weiner continues into the 21st century with the recent publication of Hannah Weiner’s Open House (2007), "a representative selection spanning her decades of poetic output" This volume was edited by Patrick F. Durgin, who provides an overview of Weiner's art:
External links
- Hannah Weiner at EPC
- Hannah Weiner Papers
- Little Books/Indians by Hannah Weiner
- Short Memoir by Charles Bernstein
- "perhaps the most shocking revelation" Ron SillimanRon SillimanRon Silliman is an American poet. He has written and edited over 30 books, and has had his poetry and criticism translated into 12 languages. He is often associated with language poetry. Between 1979 and 2004, Silliman wrote a single poem, The Alphabet...
discusses Hannah Weiner’s Open House (2007) - Tom Donovan on Open House
- Open House launch video