Illusion Is More Precise than Precision: The Poetry of Marianne Moore

Erickson's critical study of Marianne Moore's poetry provides successful strategies for understanding her work, highlighting her ability to combine close observation with a worldview presentation. He argues that Moore saw herself as "Imagnifico, a Wizard in Words," using her conjurations to express a truth beyond reason. The study explores Moores obsession with time, visuality, Hebrew verse, and her "susceptibility to happiness," offering a fresh perspective on her work.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 17 May 2022
Publisher: The University of Alabama Press

In 1935, T.S. Eliot hailed Marianne Moore's poems as "part of the small body of durable poetry written in our time." In this comprehensive critical study of the American poet Marianne Moore (1887-1972) and her work, Erickson fully justifies Eliot's praise, demonstrating the poet's remarkable ability to blend intimate observation with a worldview presentation that is simultaneously intuitive, kaleidoscopic, and optimistic. Regrettably, over the years, the excellence and originality of Moore's work have been overshadowed by its apparent inscrutability. Erickson examines the work of Marianne Moore in order to provide some consistently successful strategies for understanding her poetry. The thesis is centered on a line from Moore's poem, "Armors Undermining Modesty": "What is more precise than precision? Illusion." Erickson argues that Moore came to see herself humorously as "Imagnifico, a Wizard in Words," a magician who used her conjurations to express a truth beyond reason, a truth described by the philosopher Henri Bergson as intuition, the highest stage of the evolution of human understanding. Is Erickson's contention that Moore's sense of magic is inextricably bound up in her own uniquely feminine epistemology, the tendency to place great value on intuition, and to find one's own voice among collections of many voices?

Illusion Is More Precise Than Precision demonstrates that Moore's voice is arguably the strongest female voice in twentieth-century American literature and that Moore's poetic voice could hold its own in the company of the best of the other modernists. Unlike many current scholars, Erickson examines closely the texts of Moore's poems, paying particular attention to the ways in which Moore uses imagery, metaphor, and symbolism to convey her ideas and emotions. Through his analysis, Erickson sheds new light on Moore's use of language and form, revealing the intricate ways in which she weaves together multiple layers of meaning to create her distinctive poetic voice.

In conclusion, Erickson's study of Marianne Moore's work is a valuable contribution to the field of literary criticism. Through his meticulous analysis and insightful interpretation, Erickson provides readers with a deeper understanding of Moore's poetry and its place within the broader context of twentieth-century American literature. This book will be of interest to scholars and students of poetry, as well as anyone who appreciates the power of language and the beauty of artistic expression.

Weight: 197g
Dimension: 234 x 157 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780817360634