Laugh Lines: Humor, Genre, and Political Critique in Late Twentieth-Century American Poetry

Laugh Lines: Humor, Genre, and Political Critique in Late Twentieth-Century American Poetry argues that humor is an integral feature in a great deal of American poetry written since the 1950s, and that it can be used to espouse sociopolitical critique. The book highlights the work of poets working in four distinct poetic genres, comparing them to others writing humorous political verse in the same genre. Conners argues that the interplay between humor and genre creates special opportunities for political critique.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 114 pages
Publication date: 19 April 2022
Publisher: University Press of Mississippi

Humor in recent American poetry has often been overlooked or disregarded by scholars, partly due to a staid reverence for the lyric. However, Laugh Lines: Humor, Genre, and Political Critique in Late Twentieth-Century American Poetry contends that humor is not merely a superficial aspect of a limited subset but rather an essential element in a significant portion of American poetry written since the 1950s. Instead of perceiving poetry as a lofty, serious genre, Carrie Conners invites readers to consider poetry alongside another art form that has flourished in America since the 1950s: stand-up comedy. Both art forms employ wit and laughter to reexamine the world and the words used to describe it. Humor's disruptive nature makes it particularly receptive to critique. Many comedians and humorous poets prove to be astute cultural critics. To that end, Laugh Lines focuses on poetry that employs humor to espouse sociopolitical critique.

To demonstrate the diversity of recent American poetry that employs humor to articulate sociopolitical critique, Conners highlights the work of poets working in four distinct poetic genres: traditional, received forms, such as the sonnet; the epic; procedural poetry; and prose poetry. Marilyn Hacker, Harryette Mullen, Ed Dorn, and Russell Edson serve as the primary focus of the chapters, but each chapter compares those poets to others writing humorous political verse in the same genre, including Terrance Hayes and Anne Carson. This comparison highlights the prevalence of this trend in recent American poetry and reveals the specific ways in which the poets utilize genre conventions to generate and even amplify their humor. Conners argues that the interplay between humor and genre creates unique opportunities for political critique, as poetic forms and styles can evoke the very social constructs that the poet seeks to critique.

In conclusion, Laugh Lines offers a valuable contribution to the study of American poetry by challenging the notion that humor is a superficial or marginal aspect of the genre. By examining the work of poets across different poetic genres and comparing them to their humorous political counterparts, Conners demonstrates the pervasiveness of humor in recent American poetry and its potential for political critique. This book encourages readers to approach poetry with a fresh perspective, one that recognizes the importance of humor and laughter in reimagining the world and the words used to describe it.

Dimension: 216 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496839527