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Lucinda Carey

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Responses

 

Dear Acumen,

Having read the article in Acumen 49 I find it a rather sweeping statement that the Muse is a “myth which seems to have finally expired.” Just because poets may not want to openly admit to the influence of the Muse does not mean they do not believe in her anymore

   Moreover is Mr Aitchison trying to say that women have no help or inspiration from the Muse? Surely women have a natural advantage with the inner consciousness. But in any case what about the male side to a woman’s character? How is this supposed to be helped along, if there is no equivalent to the Muse?

   It seems to me that maybe Sappho found a way around this: “Aphrodite goddess deathless one” suggests that in fact she has better access to the Goddess’ ear than most. In “To a Philistine” Sappho says “ You do not share in the roses of the Muse” indicating that she received support from the Muse even if this other woman did not.

   Mr Aitchison does not seem to have taken women into his thinking at all. Maybe he does not consider women’s poems to be worthy of note?

                                                                                Lucinda Carey
                                                                                          Torquay

 

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