Djuna Barnes
Djuna Barnes, born on June 12, 1892 in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, was home schooled by her father, and did not receive a formal education until her early twenties. At that time, in 1912, she moved to New York City and became a student of Pratt Institute. There she became a writer an illustrator of the Brooklyn Eagle, in which she wrote mostly feature interviews and articles. In 1915, she enrolled in the Art Students League and she also published her first work, which was a collection of her writings and drawings, titled The Book of Repulsive Women.
In 1921, Barnes made a trip to Paris and wrote articles for Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Charm, and multiple others of the sort. Two year later, in 1923, she published another collection of her works, this time simply titled A Book. Barnes remained in Paris for nearly twenty more years after this, where she became part of a group of women that soon became known as 'The Academy of Women,' but later as 'The Literary Women of the Left Bank.' Barnes later wrote about this group in a satirical work called Ladies Almanack. She also wrote Nightwood, arguably her greatest work, in 1936 while in Paris.
By the time of her death in 1982, she had moved back to the United States to live in Greenwich Village, where she wrote very little. She did, however, publish a verse drama, called The Antiphon in 1958. After her death, Creatures in an Alphabet and Smoke, and Other Early Stories were found a published. Barnes had just turned ninety when she died.
Source: Djuna Barnes Biography
"Come into the roof garden, Maud" was written in Barnes' days before Paris, and after her formal schooling. Within this piece, she writes about the seemingly strange craze of roof gardens and the people that inhabit them. She goes on to describe said people, noticing that all of them are far too obsessed with the way that they look and are viewed by others to truly have fun at such an event.
Barnes directs most of her attention to the women of the event, stating multiple things about quite a few. For one, she mentions how a woman will pick at any food she is given, leave to dance, then return as if expecting it to be gone. Such a women would essentially ignore all attractions of food, even though Barnes is sure that she must be starving. She also points out the woman that is seemingly only concerned with what the man she is with is doing.
She then goes on to write about the illogical woman, and how unsurprising she finds it. Barnes writes of the woman, who wonders why they are not on the roof, though they are. The woman is mistaken, clearly thinking that, since she cannot see the sky, they must not yet be on the roof. Barnes then realizes that the woman is confused because, had women been the sole creators of the roof gardens, an artificial roof would not exist. The women, so obsessed with talking, they would be happy to just sit under their own little umbrellas.
Edna St. Vincent Millay
Millay was born
in Rockland, Maine in 1892 and lived until 1950. She produced sixteen poetry
collections during her lifetime as well as six plays. After she graduated from
Vassar College she moved to New York City which most likely influenced the
settings of her poems. Her first major poem was “Renascence” which she entered
into a poetry contest in The Lyric Year.
Her poem got fourth place, but Orrick Johns (The first place winner) felt that
Millay’s’ poem was better. The second place winner even offered to give her the
prize money.
Recuerdo
The poem that we
read was first published in May of 1919. The title of the poem fittingly
represents the sentiment of the subject. ‘Recuerdo’ in Spanish means ‘I
remember’, and throughout this poem the speaker recalls events that took place
between her and an unnamed friend.
The poem mimics
the way someone would remember an event by constantly skipping time between the
notable times during the day, and the descriptions we are given show more of
the overall mood of what happened rather than the specifics.
Although the poem
never mentions what city they were in we know that New York has both subways
and ferries, so the poem could be set there.
The speaker in
the poem is a woman who obviously was very happy during the time of this memory.
She also is very kind, because her friend and she gave an old lady all the
money they had, and the apples and pears they had left.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think Barnes' home schooling had anything to do with her apparent dissent for the women that frequented the roof gardens? Why or why not?
- In "Come into the roof garden, Maud," Barnes briefly talks about the 'French sisters.' She essentially says that they have little room in their mouths to speak intelligently, but plenty of room for lipstick. Do you think this viewpoint accompanied Barnes when she went to Paris?
- While there is no evidence to suggest the women, (or the men for that matter,) have not had a good education like Barnes, do you feel that she thinks of herself as much more intelligent than her company?
- In the first few sentences of the piece, Barnes describes the roof gardens so holistically, one would be tempted to want to visit one. Did you expect the piece to take such a turn when she began to talk about the people attending the event?
- Do you feel there is a connection between Barnes and Edith Wharton when Barnes writes in such criticizing ways?
- Why do you think Millay made the title in Spanish when there are no other instances of Spanish in the rest of the poem?
- Why do you think Millay never actually names the city where the poem is set?
- The speaker in 'Recuerdo' takes about a third of the poem on a hypothetical situation where she learns of the death of a friend. Do you think that the speakers' friend actually died? Why or why not?
- Why do you think that the speaker says she could not cry aloud in the subway if she learned of her friends' death?
- Why do you think Millay never actually names the speakers' friend throughout the poem?
- What connection between Barnes' piece and Millay's piece can you find, if any?
This is in response to questions 4 and 5.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the piece Barnes describes the rooftop garden paying particular attention to the people in the garden. This view of the people in the garden is less than desirable, showing the true nature of those that attend parties at these rooftop gardens. However from reading the first paragraph the reader is misled by the description of the garden. In the first paragraph, descriptions such as “10 percent soft June air and 10 percent gold June twilight” gives the reader the impression of peacefulness and relaxation in the rooftop gardens. However the rest of the piece fails to convey the peaceful quiet vibes that the first paragraph elicits. Because of this beginning, I was not expecting the piece to take to the turn it did. Over all the first paragraph is unexpected but serves to highlight the difference between the perceived nature and reality of the rooftop garden. In this way Barnes is a little like Wharton; they both present a “glamorous” setting and group of people and present it in a new light for what it really is like.
I personally had to read the piece twice to entirely understand her tone. The fact that Barnes uses the first few lines of the piece to so wonderfully describe the rooftop gardens, I was pretty confused when she took the turn that she did. I read the poem through the first time in a more positive light, but the farther into the piece I got, the more the 'positive light' I had seemed wrong.
DeleteBut I agree with you in saying that it certainly helps contrast between what the gardens simply look like to what happens within them. A few other replies, when speaking of Wharton and Barnes, pointed out that both authors are doing something quite similar within their respective titles of "Age of Innocence" and "Come into the roof garden, Maud." Both authors are describing what such a place would be to the outsiders looking in, or the people new to the scene, but they are also revealing what that 'scene' is really hiding. Such a style of writing is quite interesting, to say the least.
I feel that comparing Djuna Barnes to Edith Wharton is very interesting. Both were female authors who were writing at approximately the same time as one another. Upon reading both literary pieces by these female authors, it is very interesting to note the similarities in both the context and style of their writing. Wharton was most famous for her piece The Age of Innocence. Both this piece and Barnes’s “Come into the Roof Garden, Maud,” contain very detailed descriptions of the lavish lifestyle of the many inhabitants of New York City at the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century. In both pieces, the people who lived these lifestyles were described in as much detail as the extravagant setting which they inhibited. Yet beneath this pristine exterior of wealthy superiority, lay a vast amount of corruption, which can be seen in both pieces. The introduction of this topic into these pieces, created an element of realism. In The Age of Innocence, Wharton delves into the dishonesty and corruption among the wealthiest families of New York on a very personal and in depth level with her main character Newland Archer. Barnes, on the contrary, is viewing the people of the roof top gardens from a distance, and while there is no personal analysis of these individuals, the same concept of vanity and dishonesty can be seen. Barnes openly displays her resent for many of these individuals who are so absorbed in their wealth and material objects that they become oblivious to the beauty that surrounds them in these gardens. In conclusion, I feel that Wharton and Barnes have very similar viewpoints about the upper class society of New York in the late 19th and early 20th century.
ReplyDelete[Half-value informal response].
ReplyDeleteI just want to put in a plug for the homeschooler! ;) I think the fact that Barnes was homeschooled is merely coincidental with her negative view of the roof garden women. I've known homeschoolers with a variety of value sets, so I doubt it was the homeschooling itself that gave Barnes her views. I think it would have been the preexisting values she held or inherited from her father that made her think the way she did, values that probably would have been the same no matter where she went to school.
In response to the Barnes piece and question 3, I don’t think Barnes is focusing on herself. Rather, she focuses on the guests’ inability to let go of the social standards and expectations associated with the wealthy social class, and their unwillingness to enjoy themselves and ease up on their authoritative roles/stances for the night. I think Barnes’ point is, if those attending the party could just let some humor into their conversations and daily lives, perhaps their perspective on the world would be a little less constricted, and allow for more consideration and understanding of the other social classes. Without outside viewpoints, the guests are not ‘stupid’ or unintelligent, but ignorant. That being said, I guess Barnes is trying to say that she does have the pleasure of enjoying a sense of humor and an ignorance of her own towards the expectations of fashion and social etiquette (such as how to wear a dress), like many of the women at the roof garden have.
ReplyDeleteBarnes spends a portion of her piece describing who she calls the “dangerous woman,” a guest at the party who styles her hair appropriately, according to the shape and tone of her face, and who carries herself with a certain composure. This “dangerous woman” was noticed by Barnes as a distinct woman who was accompanying other (male) guests, but I also think the “dangerous woman” is a stereotype for many women who attend these roof garden parties. It is a stereotype to categorize women into a social class of wealthy women who know how to use their appearance and poise to give the impression of control and dignity. An example of a “dangerous woman” would be Nell from Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. Nell held herself in a high position in society and looked down upon Maggie. Also, Nell’s presence brought in all the attention from the men around her, especially by capturing Pete’s gaze. I think Maggie perceived Nell the same way Barnes described the “dangerous woman,” except Barnes definitely did not feel resentful towards the famed guest. Barnes may have been entertained by the fact that this “dangerous woman” doesn’t have to talk to gain the attention of her beau, but appeals to him only by posing in an elegant, thought-provoking posture with her chin in her hand.
In response to Millay’s piece, and questions 9 and 10, I think Millay wanted to portray an impassive mood throughout her emotional story. This way, she could keep her composure and be strong in the event of death. If Millay had revealed the name of her friend who died, it would have brought about memories and sentiments associated with him. Like an animal: if you name it, it is then considered a pet, and when it dies, you miss it; if it is left nameless and it dies, you feel no emotion towards its passing because you have not assigned this animal any recognizable traits to remember it by. I’m not saying Millay’s friend was a pet, but I am saying she didn't want to undergo any emotional torment during the events following his death, and did this by leaving her friend unnamed in her story. Because Millay doesn't want to cry in public once she learns of her friend’s death, this keeps her strong at heart and gives her the appearance of a tough soul. This can be compared to Barnes, since she, too, kept her thoughts (about the wealthy guests) to herself. Barnes did not confront anyone or complain aloud; she simply reports her observations.
In response to the fourth question, I found the turn the piece took after the first few sentences to be surprising. Overall, the first few sentences really hint of a mystical place like no other. I imagined that the piece was going to be just a description of the roof gardens, but instead it was more a criticism of the partygoers than anything else. Barnes becomes really critical of those around her, very quickly. The first fault she states is, "The thing that is really lacking is a sense of humor" (410). This really struck me because it was the first thing she as to say about the people on the roof garden and I think it is human nature to be drawn to those with a good sense of humor. This really left me an idea of what the people were like. After she says this, I had a better idea of the criticisms that would follow about the people at the roof gardens. I found it really interesting later when Barnes talks about if only women went to the roof gardens and she states, "Even if it rained buckets they would prefer to sit under individual umbrella and soak themselves in the truth of the thing to the very letter" (415). This relates back to the third question, because there is definitely this idea that Barnes is more intelligent than those around her. I think by stating this quote she is essentially putting herself in a different category because she would never choose to sit in the rain. Overall I thought the piece was really interesting.
ReplyDeleteIn response to question 2, I do feel as though the viewpoint does accompany her when she goes to Paris. Being homeschooled, she seems to write as if she is much more educated than other women and looks down on them. Even one of her first books was titled “The Book of Repulsive Women.” She seems to think all women but herself do not have much to them, despite how they look or what they say. Barnes even feels that the people in the roof gardens do not have a sense of humor. She most likely had this viewpoint in Paris because of the way the women act there in comparison to American women at the time. This outlook on women prior to writing “Come into the roof garden, Maud” can help explain why it doesn’t surprise her that the women are illogical. This response also ties back to question 1. She most likely believes she has received a better education than most, and that others are illogical and empty compared to her.
ReplyDeleteIn response to question 4, it is quite surprising how she begins to describe the women later on. The gardens seem so beautiful and one would think of them as an elite place, not one filled with the illogical women she describes. The people provide a sharp contrast to the beauty of it, and the gardens lose their charm throughout the piece. It provides somewhat of a true insight into the people that inhabit the city. They may not be very intelligent, but they enjoyed luxurious things such as a beautiful roof garden. This may be similar to the women she saw in Paris.
I will be responding to questions 5, 7, and 10.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that there is a connection between Barnes and Wharton in the criticizing way that they write. In The Age of Innocence and Come Into the Roof Garden, Maud the subject matter is the wealthy upper crust and their mannerisms. There are the unspoken rules of “form” that silently dictate what is acceptable and unacceptable, fashionable and unfashionable. The heavily jeweled guests at the rooftop garden are even particular about when they rise to dance. They “wait a second before they arise, for to be late is to be fashionable, to be hesitant is to be haughty.” (Barnes) Many of their actions are to make a statement of some sort. Barnes and Wharton both display their contempt for this type of superficial behavior in the way they write. Barnes does so through the eyes of the narrator, and Wharton by showing us the world that Newland Archer lives in. Both of these characters come into the environment of a “dangerous woman”. Ellen Olenska is not accepted by her social environment for leaving her husband, as well as her odd ways that just don’t click with what her family thinks she should do. In a similar way the “dangerous woman” on the rooftop is subject to scrutiny for being different. “The Miss Van Allens have spotted her long since; they have taken in the shape of her head, the way she does her hair, the exact whole, separately and collectively, they turn to each other and feign horror, and in their mental notes they don’t forget.”(Barnes). Both Wharton and Barnes write to expose this type of widely accepted behavior of the times to its foolishness.
In Millay’s poem Recuerdo I don’t think that the details of where she was or who she was with is supposed to impact the reader, therefore they are omitted. The point that the speaker is trying to get across is that she had a great time with a good friend. Being with that person and having that experience wasn’t connected to a certain city. It could have happened anywhere as long as she had a good friend with her. I also think that by omitting these details, it makes it less specific to the writer and more applicable to readers. Readers are able to take it and mold it to their own experiences. They can relate to the good time the speaker so fondly remembers, and blend the emotion with their own memories.
I will be answering questions 3 and 4.
ReplyDeleteJudging from the language and tone of the entire piece, I feel as if Barnes does think more highly of herself and her education than that of those around her, at least on the women's side. It seems that even if her education is not better, she feels that it is because she thinks the simple conversations around her are beneath her. A string of lines has only quotes from people around her that she is listening to, but it seems she has only picked out bits that sound less intelligent. I think that selective hearing and pre-determined prejudices are playing a big role in this poem, from the "French girls" to the girls asking different questions ("Why is there a roof over the roof garden?"). She thinks these are simple questions from her condescending tone, but in reality, it is a legitimate question. I think this may point back to a possible sexist viewpoint of her father who homeschooled her. During the early 1900s, equality of women was still a heavily debated topic but still weighing on the side of the "anti-feminists". The strikes of the 1910s helped the cause and women were given the right to vote in 1919, but sexism was still rampant. Being taught by her father probably gave her a lower view on the intelligence of seemingly more simple "other women".
I honestly did not expect the turn that Barnes took with the gardens, but after reviewing the situation, I understand why she would do this. The majestic, simple but effective imagism of the roof garden is made to be tainted by the people occupying it. This can be related to the reactions of strict environmentalists, who wish people to leave the environment as is for the pleasure of others or for nature. There is a chance that she sees the "not-so-intelligent" people as a bad influence on the greatness of the roof gardens; therefore, she has the reaction of wanting to keep the gardens the way they are, and wants the others to go away, or to become more knowledgeable and then come back to the roof gardens.
In response to question 3, I do not think Barnes necessarily saw herself as more intelligent than her company but still better than them. For one thing, she had a sense of humor. As for question 7, I think that Millay never mentioned the name of the city because the story she was telling could have happened in many different places. Questions 9 and 10 are closely related in my mind because of the discussion we had in class. When I first read the poem I did not even wonder why the speaker never named the person she was writing about. My interpretation was one of a broken friendship. I thought that the narrator understood that the death of an old friend would be painful no matter what had happened between them but that they could not let it show. I did not even consider the fact that it could be about someone they were having an affair with. I think all the different possibilities make it much more interesting than I originally thought it was. Even before discussing it in class and getting a new way of looking at the piece, I saw there was something special in the way Millay describes distracting herself to keep from crying. Mostly everyone has been in a situation where you receive bad news and you have to focus on something, anything, to keep your mind from being overwhelmed by reflecting on the bad news. I like that she paid extra attention to an advertisement, something that she probably would normally only glance at.
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