Series II, POETRY, WRITING, AND RELATED, 1930-1998 (#10.12-29.7, PD.2-PD.6, T-433.6 - T-433.28, Vt-222.1 - Vt-222.3, E.3-E.4)
Scope and Contents
Series II, POETRY, WRITINGS, AND RELATED, 1930-1998 (#10.12-29.7. PD.2-PD.6, T-433.6 - T-433.28, Vt-222.1 - Vt-222.3, E.3-E.4), contains drafts, unpublished and published poems, essays, reviews, nonfiction monographs, and translations (primarily of Yiddish poetry) by Whitman. It also includes poetry notebooks; reviews about Whitman's volumes of poetry; publicity; correspondence; contracts; royalty statements; drafts of individual poems; essays, reviews, and translations written by Whitman and off-prints of the same; short stories; three editions of an anthology of Yiddish poetry edited by Whitman; and an instructional text, Becoming a Poet. In several cases, the sequence of drafts is recorded. Correspondence in this series generally regards submissions, acceptances and rejections, criticisms and praise for both published and unpublished works, and permissions to publish, etc. Titles represented in this series include some of her more prominent collections of poems: The Passion of Lizzie Borden, The Testing of Hanna Senesh, Tamsen Donner: A Woman's Journey, and To Dance Is to Live. Less well-documented are her early collections of poems, Blood and Milk Poems and The Marriage Wig. This subseries also includes some audio recordings of Whitman reading from her volumes of poetry; these tapes are primarily recordings of public readings with audiences, but some appear to be Whitman reading poems aloud, alone, as part of her editorial process (#T-433.30 - T-433.44, side 1). Of particular note is the recording of a WGBH radio show, The Women's Show, featuring Whitman reading her volume of poetry The Marriage Wig (#T-433.6), about which there is scant material in the collection. Also of note in this series are the lyrics and sheet music for "Appletree Madrigals," the lyrics for which Whitman wrote in honor of the apple tree in Radcliffe Yard which held great meaning for alumnae. Additional audiotapes (#T-433.25, T-433.27 - T-433.29) contain recordings of readings in Yiddish by Jacob Glatstein and are followed by Whitman's translation. Videotapes of theater and dance performances of Tamsen Donner: A Woman's Journey based on Whitman's poem, are also included here. The series is arranged alphabetically by genre or topic and thereunder by title; untitled essays and loose poems are arranged chronologically. Folder and audiovisual titles in quotation marks were created by Whitman.
Dates
- Creation: 1930-1998
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1940-1996
Language of Materials
Materials in English. Some materials in Yiddish, Hebrew, Greek.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Collection is open for research. An appointment is necessary to use any audiovisual material.
Extent
13.55 linear feet ((32 + 1/2 file boxes) plus 5 folio folders, 4 folio+ folders, 1 oversize folder, 11 photograph folders, 63 audiotapes, 3 videotapes, and electronic records.)6.34 Megabytes (4 files)
Physical Location
Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.
Creator
- From the Collection: Whitman, Ruth, 1922-1999 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.