The subtle nuances and humour in Elizabeth Bishop’s visual art and writing

Miriam Levy was employed as an Editorial Assistant last summer. She recently completed a BA degree in English Literature at the University of Sheffield.

 

Dr Jonathan Ellis and Professor Susan Rosenbaum’s project on poet Elizabeth Bishop’s postcards showcases Bishop’s engagement with visual art as well as her interactions with her close friends and peers. As an editorial assistant on this project, I had the pleasure of analysing a large number of Bishop’s postcards and advising on the arrangement of them for Dr Ellis and Professor Rosenbaum’s forthcoming trade book.

 

 

The works of writers, particularly those that began writing almost a hundred years ago, can often feel distant with the impact of them being tempered by time and societal change. However, seeing the informal scribblings and messages of one of the most prolific poets of the twentieth century served for me as a humanising reminder of the lives that unfold behind an author’s name. Bishop was influenced by a broad variety of people, places, and experiences, many of which only become apparent when her work is considered in a wider context outside of simply reading her works. Expanding the area of interest beyond that of traditional, formalised publications to encompass visual art and personal correspondence helps to frame the work of a writer within the context of a genuine life lived rather than simply within the confines of a book.

 

My work on the Bishop project brought me to realise the dangers of viewing authors exclusively in relation to their most notable works; we miss out on the subtle nuances and humour in authors’ work that nod to their authentic, lived experiences. By the end of my time on the project, I was struck by the shift in my perception of Bishop, as her words took on new meaning against the backdrop of her personal messages. Literature is not meant to exist within a vacuum and, as this project has shown me, the connections that appear when we broaden our perspectives are bountiful and impacting.