Charles Olson Summary

Charles Olson (1910-1970) defined and practiced an open, kinetic poetry which influenced many of the second generation of modern poets.Charles Olson, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1910, was an ... Read more

Charles Olson emerged at the mid-century with a manifesto for a new poetry, "Projective Verse," exactly at a time when other American poets had not only rejected the modernist heritage of Ezra Pound ... Read more

In the following review, the critic offers a negative assessment of The Maximus Poems. Whoever dislikes the poetry of Charles Olson should take note of the abundant testimony of his admirers. Not a... Read more

In the following excerpt, Paul presents a critical overview of the first volume of Maximus Poems. Chronological order is implicit in the practice of projective verse. As William Carlos Williams sai... Read more

In the following excerpt, Thurley faults Olson for what he perceives as superficial and erroneous elements in his poetics. A number of distinguished poets in the 1950s … received stimulus an... Read more

In the following essay, Butterick examines how Olson attempted to break with traditional western rationalism. Charles Olson was always very pleased by the fact that the only time he was ever given ... Read more

In the following essay, Kellogg examines Olson's shorter poems in light of the poet's own principles of direct experiential knowledge. It's going to be somebody else's ... Read more

Critical Essay by Marjorie G. Perloff Olson's essay ["Projective Verse"] begins with this diagram:       (projectile  &... Read more

Critical Essay by Phillip E. Smith Ii One of the important topics in Olson's work is the relationship of the idea of culture to the idea of community. As he worked on The Maximus Poems in the ... Read more

Critical Essay by Robert Creeley [In Call Me Ishmael Olson] makes clear his relation to a responsiveness and decision in such writing to be found only in such comparable works as D. H. Lawrence... Read more

Critical Essay by George F. Butterick The term ["postmodern"] was first used, apparently, by the historian Toynbee, although Olson—and this is not generally known—may have... Read more

Critical Essay by Paul Christensen Given the diversity of Olson's interests and preoccupations as a poet, we are confronted with the question: do the life and work of this poet have a design? ... Read more

Critical Essay by Paul Breslin The Black Mountain theoretical program, which is mainly Olson's creation, I find profoundly confused, desperate, and pretentious. If it has given its adherents a... Read more

Critical Essay by Thomas F. Merrill Once at a poetry reading at Brandeis Charles Olson "got so damned offended" that he screamed at his audience, "You people are so literate I do... Read more