Wow. I just read Wilmot's "Imperfect Enjoyment". Quite an eye opener. I found his use of language quite guttural, and even offensive at times. He speaks of sex in a very cold, mechanical way which I find unpleasant. In fact, at times I laughed openly as I read this piece, not because I found it funny, but because I found some of the lines reminded me of something you would hear on a Saturday Night Live skit. For example, "the All-dissolving Thunderbolt below". Please! Freud would have a field day with this poem. I think Wilmot thought way too highly of himself.
There was also an animalistic slant to this which I found a bit disturbing. Especially where he draws a parallel between women and "Hogs on gates". Very crude.
There was also an animalistic slant to this which I found a bit disturbing. Especially where he draws a parallel between women and "Hogs on gates". Very crude.
posted by Gary F at 6:26 PM
2 Comments:
Rude, crude, and bawdy are all adjectives one could use to describe Wilmot and it is rather uncomfortable for us to read his work. We must also remember, when he was writing this bawdy poetry it was being accepted by his limited audience.
There is always an audience for this type of humor(?) or writing - South Park is considered too vulgar for some viewers, while others embrace it.
South Park: heh!
Emily, I think you are absolutely correct about his goals in writing these poems: he had, and continues to have, a singular reputation.
But offensive as these are, and iconoclastic as Wilmot was, I think we would be making a mistake to think that his negative views of women were out of the ordinary.
Post a Comment
<< Home