Betty Adcock: The Double Axe of Robinson Jeffers, With an Aside on Bucking Trends (January 2000)

Robinson Jeffers was once considered among the best poets of his generation, yet became isolated by the literary world for his dark view of humanity and for his pacifism in the face of World War II. What can we learn from this iconoclastic and controversial poet? In this lecture, Betty Adcock examines Jeffers’ life, work, and complicated legacy, suggesting that ultimately he was a kind of prophetic messenger whose lasting influence can be found in the work of William Stafford, W.S. Merwin, Gary Snyder, and others.