Helen by Hilda Doolittle (1919)
The novel revolves around Helen, a young American woman who travels to Greece with her husband Richard. The story explores themes of identity, nationality, and the complexities of relationships through Helen's experiences in a foreign culture.
By Hilda Doolittle · First published 1919 · Genre: Poetry, Classical Mythology, Modernism · 137 words
First lines
All Greece hates / the still eyes in the white face, / the lustre as of olives / where she stands, / and the white hands.
All Greece reviles / the wan face when she smiles, / hating it deeper still / when it grows wan and white, / remembering past enchantments / and past ills.
Greece sees unmoved, / God's daughter, born of love, / the beauty of cool feet / and slenderest knees, / could love indeed the maid, / only if she were laid, / white ash amid funereal cypresses.
What this Textopian page supports
Helen is listed on Textopian as a novel by Hilda Doolittle, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Hilda Doolittle
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Classical Mythology, Modernism, Feminist Literature
- Length: 137 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Helen by Hilda Doolittle
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
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- Fragment Thirty Six by Hilda Doolittle
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing poetic devices such as imagery, symbolism, and meter.
- Classical Mythology — The poem references Greek mythology, specifically the figure of Helen, and explores themes related to mythological narratives.
- Modernism — The style and themes reflect modernist characteristics, including a focus on subjective experience and a break from traditional forms.
- Feminist Literature — The poem examines the societal perception of a female figure, critiquing the objectification and vilification of women.
Tags
Modernist poetry · Free verse · Stream-of-consciousness · Autobiographical · Experimental · Imagism · Symbolic · Dreamlike · Fragmented narrative · Inner monologue · Emotional intensity · Psychological insight