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The History of Literature

176 William Carlos Williams (The Use of Force)

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

History, Arts, Books

4.61.3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 January 2019

⏱️ 60 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today, the American modernist poet William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) is famous among poetry fans for his vivid, economical poems like "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "This Is Just to Say." But for most of his lifetime, he struggled to achieve success comparable to those of his contemporaries Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot. Toiling away as a physician in working-class neighborhoods in New Jersey, Williams tried to write poems and short stories whenever he could, often typing for a few minutes in between patient visits. In this episode of The History of Literature, Jacke and Mike take a look at Williams's incredible short story "The Use of Force," in which a physician wrestles with a young patient determined to preserve her secret at all costs.  NOTE: This is another self-contained episode of The History of Literature! We read the story for you - no need to read it yourself first (unless you want to!).  Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/shop. (We appreciate it!) Find out more at historyofliterature.com, jackewilson.com, or by following Jacke and Mike on Twitter at @thejackewilson and @literatureSC. Or send an email to jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com.   *** This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy.  Since you're listening to The History of Literature, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows surrounding literature, history, and storytelling like Storybound, Micheaux Mission, and The History of Standup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglamorate Network and LIT Hub Radio.

0:07.0

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0:38.0

Hello, I'm Jack Wilson.

0:40.0

Welcome to the history of literature. Okay, here we go. Welcome to the podcast. I'm so glad you could join us. We have a great show today, the return of Mike Pallandrome.

1:05.8

And not just a solo episode this time, but a writer we both enjoy and admire,

1:12.3

the great 20th century American poet William Carlos Williams.

1:16.5

You may know him from such hits as the Red Wheelbarrow in spring and all and this is just to say. Well, guess what? He also wrote a fantastic short story called

1:27.5

The Use of Force, which drew upon his years as a physician in working class New Jersey.

1:34.0

William, Carlos Williams is a very interesting piece of the American Literature puzzle,

1:39.0

born in 1883 to an English father and a Puerto Rican mother, he lived for most of his early life in New Jersey until going to University of Pennsylvania where he met fellow student Ezra Pound.

1:52.0

Then, when poetry shifted its gaze toward Europe,

1:56.8

he stayed put, along with fellow poets like Robert Frost and Mary Ann Moore. He wrote and wrote, his wife used to say that a patient would come in, see the doctor,

2:08.2

William Carlos Williams, the patient would leave and bang she'd hear the typewriter come

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