As many preach their own philosophy which they do not always wholly live by, di Prima incorporated her views on personal independence and the rejection of the mainstream role of a housewife. Although she did not press her views as strongly as others, such as Burrows, she did still deviate from them a bit, even if the lines weren't as finely drawn out.
Di Prima made herself responsible for many people, as she maintained several "pads" holding young people within them, taking on an almost motherly role. She did what she had to in order to make money for these people, including the writing of many fabrications within her book Memoirs of A Beatnik, which was initially published as nonfiction and later categorized as fiction due to the great influence of di Prima's editor and the necessity to pay rent.
Although many people did rely on di Prima, placing her in a housewife-like role, one should note that she maintained her stability without the help of a partner, therefore diminishing the American standard. However, the fact that she is inclined to take care of others does give off the impression of a motherly role. This also contradicts her independent philosophy, as she is not only living for herself at this point, but for others as well. While one could argue that di Prima was being independent if living for her own desires meant assisting others, it should also be understood that these desires are likely conventional and persistent due to her scientific role to reproduce and take care of children.
This takes us to the next point, in which di Prima makes the decision to have a child. While it was untraditional at the time for a woman to opt to raise a child on her own, it has been done before, and is done in many other species. Monogamy is the human ideal and not necessarily realistic. Di Prima dismisses the idea of keeping a man around, perhaps knowing that men are unreliable, or perhaps aware that she is unreliable to a man. In any case, this rejection does not make her decision entirely feminist, as she still hopes to carry out her main role as a woman: to birth a child.
In di Prima's defense, I did not find any articles that depicted her being involved with any radical feminist groups or standing up strictly on behalf of female empowerment. From what I understand of di Prima, she represents individual empowerment and the acquisition of one's desires. Therefore, her possibly innate desire to take care of others in a motherly role does not rule her out of the feminist category. It only means that her desires were likely as raw and instinctive as it gets: they were anatomic. To some, this makes her more Beat, and perhaps more of a feminist, than ever.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Di Prima and Feminism
Often described as a great feminist poet, Diane di Prima has received much of her fame due to her association with the Beat Generation. The exclusive Beats men carried trends in their praising of women, sometimes almost in a traditional or romantic sense (many writers did marry), only to eventually dispose of them, at least in that time period. Despite that the association di Prima has with the Beat writers may, in some cases, defeat feminism, I agree that di Prima can be considered a feminist.
Many of the women victimized by the Beat men set themselves up for the inevitable disappointment that they received by holding conventional expectations of the men. As the Beat Generation stood largely for freedom and the rejection of tradition, the fate of their relations should have been anticipated by the women. However, di Prima was different in that she did not maintain these expectations for the Beat men. She was very conscious of her decision to be independent, and very much in opposition to filling a housewife role. (This is not to say that she was the only woman who did not act out of naivety toward the men).
In di Prima's "What I Ate and Where" segment of Dinners and Nightmares, she has dinner with her parents, who are clearly attempting to impose a conventional lifestyle upon her. She hopes to raise a child out of wedlock. When di Prima leaves the table, it is evident that she is rejecting her parents' ideals. Di Prima has chosen, like others involved with the Beat Generation, to live by her own standards in such a way that is independent, selfish, and untraditional.
While di Prima did not become a radical feminist and reject men altogether, the rejection of mainstream values paralleled the empowerment of herself as a woman during that period. According to a dictionary source, feminism means "the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men" (dictionary.com). Therefore, feminism does not indicate power over men, indifference towards men, or any other misconception. Whether or not di Prima became a radical female rights activist, she represented herself as an equal to men and treated them similarly to the manner in which they treated her. Di Prima is a feminist because she disregards the boundaries that mainstream America had set for women.
Many of the women victimized by the Beat men set themselves up for the inevitable disappointment that they received by holding conventional expectations of the men. As the Beat Generation stood largely for freedom and the rejection of tradition, the fate of their relations should have been anticipated by the women. However, di Prima was different in that she did not maintain these expectations for the Beat men. She was very conscious of her decision to be independent, and very much in opposition to filling a housewife role. (This is not to say that she was the only woman who did not act out of naivety toward the men).
In di Prima's "What I Ate and Where" segment of Dinners and Nightmares, she has dinner with her parents, who are clearly attempting to impose a conventional lifestyle upon her. She hopes to raise a child out of wedlock. When di Prima leaves the table, it is evident that she is rejecting her parents' ideals. Di Prima has chosen, like others involved with the Beat Generation, to live by her own standards in such a way that is independent, selfish, and untraditional.
While di Prima did not become a radical feminist and reject men altogether, the rejection of mainstream values paralleled the empowerment of herself as a woman during that period. According to a dictionary source, feminism means "the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men" (dictionary.com). Therefore, feminism does not indicate power over men, indifference towards men, or any other misconception. Whether or not di Prima became a radical female rights activist, she represented herself as an equal to men and treated them similarly to the manner in which they treated her. Di Prima is a feminist because she disregards the boundaries that mainstream America had set for women.
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