Diane di Prima

Jill E. Anderson (Middle Tennessee State University)
Download PDF Add to Bookshelf Report an Error

At the front of or a participant in multiple literary, political, and cultural revolutions during the mid twentieth century, Diane di Prima is perhaps best known for being a poet of the Beat Generation. Additionally, she is also a novelist, playwright, photographer, publisher, editor, activist, teacher, director, and mother of five. At the heart of her work is the “di Prima dilemma”, described by Anthony Libby as “her refusal to fit neatly into the progressive assumptions she herself played a major part in creating” (49). Feminist before “feminist” was a word and a force in an artistic space dominated by men, di Prima remains an active and powerful voice in the world of poetry.

Born in 1934 in Brooklyn and raised close to her Italian-American atheist, anarchist grandfather, di

1092 words

Citation: Anderson, Jill E.. "Diane di Prima". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 09 September 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12961, accessed 19 March 2024.]

12961 Diane di Prima 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

Save this article

If you need to create a new bookshelf to save this article in, please make sure that you are logged in, then go to your 'Account' here

Leave Feedback

The Literary Encyclopedia is a living community of scholars. We welcome comments which will help us improve.