Susan Howe

Introduction:
Susan Howe is an accomplished American poet and literary critic who has made a name for herself in the world of postmodernist poetry. Her distinctive style and unique vision have earned her wide recognition and numerous accolades throughout her career. Her contributions to the literary world have been immense, and her work continues to inspire poets and literature enthusiasts around the world.

Background:
Susan Howe was born on June 10, 1937, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She grew up in a household that emphasized the importance of art and literature. Her mother was a painter, while her father was a lawyer. Susan was educated at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, where she studied painting and sculpture. However, she soon found herself drawn to literature and decided to pursue it as a career.

Career:
Susan published her first collection of poetry, Hinge Picture, in 1974. The collection was well-received and established her as an important voice in the world of postmodernist poetry. She went on to publish several more collections, including The Midnight, which is considered one of her most important works. She also published two works of literary criticism, My Emily Dickinson and The Birth-Mark: Unsettling the Wilderness in American Literary History, which were both highly acclaimed.

Personality and motivation:
Susan Howe is known for her fiercely independent spirit and her passionate commitment to her art. She is a deeply introspective person who is constantly exploring new ideas and concepts. Her work is marked by a sense of uncompromising individuality and a willingness to push boundaries and break rules.

Before becoming famous:
Susan Howe faced several challenges early in her career. She struggled to find a publisher for her work and was often rejected by literary journals. However, she remained persistent and continued to write and publish her work on her own. She also faced personal challenges, including the death of her first husband and the dissolution of her second marriage.

Family life:
Susan Howe has been married three times. Her first husband, Harvey Quaytman, was a painter. After his death, she married David von Schlegell, another artist. Following his death, she married Peter Hewitt Hare, a professor at the University of Buffalo. She has two children from her second marriage.

Linked to other people in the industry:
Susan Howe is closely associated with the Language poets, a group of poets who were active in the 1970s and 80s and who advocated for a more experimental approach to poetry. She is also friends with several other prominent poets and writers, including John Ashbery and Robert Creeley.