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include discussions of Rukeyser’s poetry and tributes
to her as a woman and artist.
Kertesz, Louise, The Poetic Vision of Muriel Rukeyser,
Louisiana State Press, 1979.
One of the few book-length treatments of Rukeyser,
this study is appropriate for readers seeking a sus-
tained, in-depth interpretation of Rukeyser’s career.
It includes detailed information on critical reception
and influences and also offers interpretations of spe-
cific poems.
Rich, Adrienne, “Beginners,” inThe Kenyon Review,Vol.
15, No. 3, Summer 1993, p. 12.
In this article Rich compares Rukeyser to two of the
most highly esteemed American poets, Emily Dick-
inson and Walt Whitman. She suggests that, like
Dickinson and Whitman, Rukeyser was too daring
and innovative to be appreciated by critics in her own
time.
Rukeyser, Muriel, The Life of Poetry,Current Books, 1949.
Rukeyser’s treatise on the meaning and purpose of
poetry reflects her passionate commitment to both art
and social justice. In this work she explains her mo-
tivations to write, as well as discussing the origins of
American poetry and its social role.Ballad of Orange and Grape