Honors College Theses
Publication Date
2020
Major
English (B.A.)
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (open access)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Joe Pellegrino
Abstract
By tracing the motifs of domestic space, classical and popular music, and ballroom dancing within Rita Dove’s Thomas and Beulah, Grace Notes, Sonata Mulattica, and American Smooth, I assert that she both challenges and expands Black poetic culture by exploring topics previously considered outside of the purview of Black poets. This analysis allows me to demonstrate her ability as a poet to move beyond simplistic, derivative, and ultimately constraining cultural expectations. Dove uses these motifs to expand the critically and culturally-imposed constrictions of Black poetry.
Recommended Citation
Wright, LaVonna D., "Breaking Black Boundaries: The Poetry of Rita Dove" (2020). Honors College Theses. 549.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/549
