English - Gender Critics

[albinodragon]

So the big question in class today is can you write a genderless poem?

We've been studying Keats and his Odes as well as a few others.

"Keats didn't have to worry about what women thought of his poem in the classroom, because then women didn't go to college." -R. Kelly (not the rapper)

Stephen-

Comments

[monalisagirl]

You have Dr. Kelly? he's cool :) Gee I miss the cool college classes. That is a good topic !

[shondawilson]

I think a poet could write a poem without intentions towards gender but as soon as a man or women read it...the poem has a gender specific to the person who is reading it and that does not mean when woman reads it she sees a female poem or vise versa, I think poetry especially which is an interpretation at best...takes on the personality traits of the reader sometimes more than it takes on the voice of the poet because many times we read what we want to read.

[cn_frog]

-I'd have to concur with Shonda. When given no identity to attach oneself, the reader often uses their own gender as the template for the role that they are reading.

[darkartificer]

It is absolutely possible to make a poem without gender bias. Firstly, assume the subject is an it rather than a sex. Secondly, vague pronouns would be your friend, as much as speaking in the second person.