Djuna Barnes
Full Name and Common Aliases
Djuna Barnes was born Djuna Chappell Barnes. Throughout her life, she was commonly known simply as Djuna Barnes, a name that became synonymous with avant-garde literature and the bohemian lifestyle of the early 20th century.
Birth and Death Dates
Djuna Barnes was born on June 12, 1892, and she passed away on June 18, 1982. Her life spanned an era of significant cultural and artistic change, and she was both a witness to and a participant in these transformations.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Djuna Barnes was an American writer, journalist, and artist. Her work traversed various genres, including novels, plays, poetry, and visual art. She is best known for her contributions to modernist literature and her role in the literary and artistic circles of Paris and New York.
Early Life and Background
Djuna Barnes was born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, into a family that was unconventional and artistically inclined. Her father, Wald Barnes, was a failed musician and painter, while her grandmother, Zadel Barnes, was a writer and suffragist. This bohemian upbringing exposed Barnes to a world of creativity and nonconformity from an early age. However, her childhood was also marked by instability and financial hardship, which would later influence her writing.
Barnes received her early education at home before attending the Pratt Institute and the Art Students League of New York. Her formal education was sporadic, but she was a voracious reader and self-taught in many subjects. This eclectic background laid the foundation for her unique literary voice.
Major Accomplishments
Djuna Barnes's career began in journalism, where she wrote for various publications, including the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and Vanity Fair. Her articles often explored controversial topics, showcasing her fearless approach to writing. However, it was her fiction that cemented her place in literary history.
Barnes's major accomplishments include her novel "Nightwood," published in 1936, which is considered a seminal work of modernist literature. The novel's experimental style and exploration of themes such as identity, sexuality, and the human condition earned it critical acclaim. T.S. Eliot, who wrote the introduction to "Nightwood," praised it for its "brilliance" and "emotional power."
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to "Nightwood," Djuna Barnes authored several other notable works. Her first novel, "Ryder," published in 1928, is a semi-autobiographical exploration of her family history. "Ladies Almanack," published in 1928, is a satirical work that humorously depicts the lesbian community in Paris. Barnes also wrote plays, including "The Antiphon," which was published in 1958 and is considered a complex exploration of family dynamics.
Barnes's writing is characterized by its rich, poetic language and its exploration of taboo subjects. Her work often defied conventional narrative structures, making her a pioneer of modernist literature.
Impact and Legacy
Djuna Barnes's impact on literature and culture is profound. Her work challenged societal norms and pushed the boundaries of literary form and content. As a central figure in the expatriate community in Paris during the 1920s, she was part of a vibrant artistic milieu that included figures like James Joyce, Gertrude Stein, and Ezra Pound.
Barnes's legacy is evident in the continued study and appreciation of her work. "Nightwood" remains a touchstone for discussions on modernism and LGBTQ literature. Her influence can be seen in the works of later writers who explore similar themes of identity and marginalization.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Djuna Barnes is widely quoted and remembered for her incisive wit, her mastery of language, and her fearless exploration of complex themes. Her quotes often reflect her sharp intellect and her ability to distill profound truths into memorable phrases. Barnes's work resonates with readers who appreciate literature that challenges conventions and delves into the intricacies of the human experience.
Her contributions to modernist literature and her role as a trailblazer for LGBTQ writers ensure that Djuna Barnes remains a significant figure in literary history. Her quotes continue to inspire and provoke thought, making her a lasting presence in the world of literature.
Quotes by Djuna Barnes
Djuna Barnes's insights on:
Sometimes to be utterly innocent,” he went on, “would be to be utterly unknown, particularly to oneself.
Well, isn’t Bohemia a place where everyone is as good as everyone else – and must not a waiter be a little less than a waiter to be a good Bohemian?
She was one of the most unimportantly wicked women of her time – because she could not let her time alone, and yet could never be a part of it.
The heart of the jealous knows the best and the most satisfying love, that of the other’s bed, where the rival perfects the lover’s imperfections. Fancy gallops to take part in that duel, unconstrained by any certain articulation of the laws of that unseen game.
Everything we can’t bear in this world, some day we find in one person, and love it all at once.
We are beginning to wonder whether a servant girl hasn’t the best of it after all. She knows how the salad tastes without the dressing, and she knows how life’s lived before it gets to the parlor door.
Robin is not in your life, you are in her dream, you’ll never get out of it. And why does Robin feel innocent? Every bed she leaves, without caring, fills her heart with peace and happiness. She has made her “escape” again. That’s why she can’t “put herself in another’s place,” she herself is the only “position”; so she resents it when you reproach her with what she had done. She knows she is innocent because she can’t do anything in relation to anyone but herself.