Monster /
The exciting and complex debut collection from Dzifa Benson, Monster is a bold and lyrical exploration of the Black female body as a site of oppression and resistance. At its heart is a study of the world of Sarah Baartman, aka the Hottentot Venus, a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa who was displaye...
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| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
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Hexham, Northumberland, UK :
Bloodaxe Books,
[2024].
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| Summary: | The exciting and complex debut collection from Dzifa Benson, Monster is a bold and lyrical exploration of the Black female body as a site of oppression and resistance. At its heart is a study of the world of Sarah Baartman, aka the Hottentot Venus, a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa who was displayed in freak shows in 19th-century Europe. Baartman's voice is framed within the social, political and legal structures of the day, offering a unique perspective. Other poems draw clear parallels with Benson's own experience as a Black woman born in London but raised in Ghana who returned to the United Kingdom at the age of 18. The collection is a mix of vivid lyricism, sometimes laced with dark humor, using complex poetry, monologue and theatrical devices. The influence of Shakespeare sits comfortably with references to Ewe mythology and history in a collection of wide scope and depth. This is a highly accomplished first collection by a mature voice. As one of a small group of published Black women poets, Benson makes an important contribution to current British poetry with the publication of Monster. |
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| Physical Description: | 134 pages : illustrations, music ; 24 cm. |
| ISBN: | 9781780377261 1780377266 |