Apologies if you've already covered this, but I was wondering if you could recommend any prep readings for Anne Carson. Not necessarily essays on her work, but books that you think would help a reader unfamiliar with her to maybe have a sort of basis to go off. Thank you!
It all depends on the book you’re picking up, but what’s absolutely fundamental in Anne Carson’s works is her weaving of literary influences and analysis in her own work. Knowing the works she most often refers herself to allows her readers to understand her, and enjoy her writing, more organically.
As a classicist, she’s heavily influenced by Ancient Greek classics, but she often makes use of French and English literature as well. I would recommend you to read:
Fragments, SapphoFragments, CatullusAntigone, SophoklesAgamemnon, EuripidesThe Iliad, HomerThe Odyssey, HomerHerakles, EuripidesBakkhai, EuripidesPoems, John KeatsPoems, Emily BrontëWuthering Heights, Emily BrontëIn Search of Lost Time (or only : The Fugitive), Marcel Proust
Her very cartesian, tongue-in-cheek approach to poetry—her constant curiosity about language and how it works, most importantly—is most easily tackled when you are used to literary theory, or linguistics, classics, academical essays at least.
Of course these are only pointers to clarify her poetry and writings, but you can also jump right into it! She has a very pedagogical, diversified approach and most of her works give you a basis to work off of anyway.
Have fun!
