Last Agonies—Some Comments on a Lecture by Judith Wright

Abstract

Readers of Peter Abotomey's "Class Lecture after a Recent Visit by
Judith Wright", in the current issue of LiNQ, may find with the present writer that the views reported therein are both disturbing and moving. The sense of a vast change in the status of poetry, if not of literary art in general, coupled with the seemingly radical effect of this change on one of Australia's outstanding poets, makes poignant reading. The instance reported here is, however, not unique. A recent issue of Overland contains an article, not by an older practitioner, but by the 'New' poet Laurie Duggan, lamenting public indifference to his art. Both young and old are feeling the pinch. Judith Wright's views, as reported now, are merely the most recent, impassioned and explicit of a general 'unrest in the culture'. It is hoped that the following, perhaps rather dry and abstract comments on Peter Abotàmey's lecture may contribute towards orientation on this problem. There is neither space here nor time to flesh-out the bones of contention.

Firstly, Judith Wright's views can be seen in relation to a recent shift in focus of thinking in the arts, namely from consideration of the art-work as a structure in itself, to the question of the effect of the work. Music, theatrical pieces, films and literary works have been constructed and presented with the intention of breaking through the passive consumer-attitude of their recipients, of jolting spontaneous phantasy into action, of bringing learning-processes into play, of expanding awareness. This development appears to be a reaction to the rapid spread of the so-called culture-industry, whose products are impersonally objective and make no place for individual 'back-coupling' of reactions and associations. Judith Wright, with her advocacy of what Peter Abotomey calls the "one true poetry: impulse or pop poetry that speaks urgently and is apprehended immediately", is on common ground with this reaction. The culture-industry, whose stereotypes penetrate to every corner of society, lets us see clearly the limited effect, the impotence of authentic literary art and thus compels us to reconsider its social effect. With Judith Wright, and surely with literary critics too, the question of this effect is vital for the continued existence and justification of 'formal' literary art. Judith Wright has apparently already decided the issue by stating that there should be no more teaching of formal,
classical literature, that this literature is finished; it does not 'communicate'.