Abstract

This article discusses the influence of the ancient world and its literature on the poetry of Stevie Smith. I examine the three ways in which Smith incorporates classical elements in her poetical work: 1) the use of Latin phrases and antique settings, 2) adaptations of Greek mythology and 3) translations of classical Latin texts. Through an attentive reading of representative poems, I discuss her non-conformistic way of dealing with the classics and show how genuine admiration and clever use of the classics hide under the cover of her playful tone and apparent artlessness. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.