Queer Poets at the Mid-Century: W.H. Auden and Allen Ginsberg

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to queer poetry and the lives of W.H. Auden and Allen Ginsberg.

Megalomania

A condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, or omnipotence.

Queer

A gender- and trans-inclusive term for all people who are not heterosexual or cisgender, often used as an identity.

Sapphist

A term historically used by women to describe a romantic relationship with another woman.

Lesbian

A woman who is romantically or sexually attracted to other women.

Stonewall Riot

A series of protests in 1969 that marked the beginning of the LGBTQIA2S+ rights movement in the United States.

Beat Poets

A group of mid-20th century poets, primarily white, who resisted established power structures in their work.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which the speaker directly addresses someone who is dead or absent.

Nostalgia

A longing for an inaccessible or imagined past, often intertwined with cultural moments.

Transgender

A term used to describe individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Imperatives

Statements that give instructions or commands, often used in poetry to evoke strong feelings.

Public Mourning

Expressions of grief that take place in a public space rather than in private, as depicted in Auden's poem.

Individual Grief

Personal expressions of sorrow and loss, especially in relation to a loved one's death.