"In my opinion, the most significant works of the twentieth century are those that rise beyond the conceptual tyranny of genre; they are, at the same time, poetry, criticism, narrative, drama, etc"
- Juan Goytisolo
About this Quote
This quote by Juan Goytisolo talks to the value of works that transcend the limits of category. He thinks that the most significant works of the twentieth century are those that are not restricted to one category, however rather include components of multiple categories. He recommends that these works have the ability to record a more complete picture of the world, as they have the ability to draw from the strengths of numerous genres. By combining poetry, criticism, story, and drama, these works are able to produce a more nuanced and intricate understanding of the world. Goytisolo's quote speaks with the importance of works that are able to break down the barriers between genres and produce something new and distinct.
"I think Ginsberg has done more harm to the craft that I honor and live by than anybody else by reducing it to a kind of mean that enables the most dubious practitioners to claim they are poets because they think, If the kind of thing Ginsberg does is poetry, I can do that"
"Nothing truly convincing - which would possess thoroughness, vigor, and skill - has been written against the ancients as yet; especially not against their poetry"
"The dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs"
"A book is sent out into the world, and there is no way of fully anticipating the responses it will elicit. Consider the responses called forth by the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare - let alone contemporary poetry or a modern novel"
