Critical Essay | Critical Review by The New York Times Book Review

Critical Review by The New York Times Book Review

SOURCE: A review of Enough Rope in The New York Times Book Review, March 27, 1927, p. 6.

The critic appraises Parker's poetry, especially her timely treatments of established forms.

In an earlier age Dorothy Parker's lyric effusions would have been classified as society verse. But, alas! “society” vanished long ago or has become merged with the proletariat—or so runs the complaint. In any case, it has in the male portion gone in so heavily for golf and lounge suits as to have lost all distinguishing characteristics. And the females don sport clothes instead of frocks. Miss Parker's is not society verse in the old sense; it is flapper verse. And as such it is wholesome, engaging, uncorseted and not devoid of grace.

It is at once difficult and not difficult to choose an example from Enough Rope. The verses are so uniformly excellent (in their way) that to exhibit...
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