On September 28, the 10th “Leading Lecture Series on Frontier Studies” of Zijingang Global Forum on Interdisciplinary Studies 2023, organized by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of World Literature of Zhejiang University, was held both online and offline. Marjorie Perloff, Prof. Emerita of Humanities at Stanford University, and Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, delivered a lecture entitled “‘A Poem Is a Small Machine Made Out of Words’: Reading William Carlos Williams”. The lecture was moderated by Prof. YANG Gexin of the Institute, and reviewed by Prof. NIE Zhenzhao of ZJU, Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, with the participation of the students from the School of International Studies of ZJU.
In the lecture, Prof. Perloff analyzed five poems by William Carlos Williams, an American Imagist poet, explaining that the differences between poetry and general writing or conversation lie in that every word in the poem, as well as its visual and written presentation matters. The value of poetry lies not only in “what to write”, but also in “how to write”. Therefore, the form and content of poetry are inseparable. Poetry is not a linguistic tool for political or utilitarian objectives, but a “machine” made of various words, with the subtle emotions conveyed by words as its core. Williams uses the technique of repetition and echo to create his own free verse.
Prof. Perloff then analyzed the themes of Williams’ five short poems with examples. “This is Just to Say” borrows the imagery of “plum” to express an ineffable apology. The second poem (untitled) captures the momentary movement of a kitten, depicting a vibrant picture in a lively tone. “Love Song” rejects the traditional way of writing love poems and uses surrealist imagery to describe unusual love instead. “Young Sycamore” vividly depicts the life of sycamore from a thriving young age to a withering old year. Without a period to mark the end, the poem aims to emphasize that life has no end and that everyone grows in a cycle of beauty and decadence. The number of lines in each stanzaof “Between Walls”varies, complementing the imagery of “shining broken pieces of a green bottle” to evoke hope. These poems reflect the unique style and deep emotion of Williams, highlighting the inseparable connection between form and content.
In the discussion session, Prof. NIE Zhenzhao said that Prof. Perloff’s lecture focused on how Williams draws inspiration from everyday life, and the central role that words, visions and sounds play in Williams’ poetry. In fact, there is a strong connection between Williams’ medical background and his poetic pursuits. Williams, who had practiced medicine for a long time, preferred simple language and precise details, which fit in with Imagist principles. Therefore, his poems exhibit a combination of clear expressions and vivid depictions of experience. On this basis, Prof. NIE further referred to the interdisciplinary intersection of science and technology and humanistic creation, emphasizing the necessity to rethink the methodology and ethical foundation in this progressive field.
In his conclusion, Prof. YANG Gexin re-stressed that reading and analyzing imagist poetry requires perspectives and methods different from traditional ones, taking into consideration both the content and form of the poems. In the end, on behalf of the audience, Prof. YANG extended his sincere wishes to Prof. Perloff, who is still devoted to academic studies at the age of 92, and paid tribute to Prof. Perloff’s outstanding contributions and lasting influence to literary studies and poetry criticism.
The lecture is supported by the major project of the National Social Science Fund “Collation, Translation and Research of Contemporary Western Ethical Criticism Literature” [Project No. 19ZDA292].
“Zijingang Global Forum on Interdisciplinary Studies”, named after Zijingang Campus, the main campus of Zhejiang University, aims to provide an interdisciplinary platform for scholars engaged in humanities at home and abroad, especially those who are devoted to literary studies, to facilitate theoretical advancement, methodological innovation, intellectual promotion, and information exchange. As a foundational part of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of World Literature, “Zijingang Global Forum on Interdisciplinary Studies” launches a series of academic activities and keeps its participants informed about current scholarship in the field. To be more specific, it consists of four major forums: “Leading Lecture Series on Frontier Studies”, “Leading Publication of Academic Achievements”, “Leading Forum on Interdisciplinary Studies for Young Scholars”, and “Leading Forum for University Students”.
Text/Photos: SHI Yinan, LI Ziru
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of World Literature, Zhejiang University
September 28, 2023
Translated by CHEN Yuqing and ZHANG Xiaoran, Proofread by XU Xueying
