Panthers and Pinstripes: The Case of Ezra Pound and Archibald Macleish

Abstract:     
Provides hitherto little known information on the lifelong relationship of the prominent Imagist poet and MacLeish, an eminent lawyer-poet-public servant. Points out that while the two men seemingly had little in common -- one being a wild bohemian, the other a buttoned down East Coast Brahmin -- the unhappy and unfulfilled lawyer, MacLeish, worshiped Pound from a distance, sending him letter after letter imploring him for help with MacLeish's writing. Through an examination of their forty-year correspondence, shows why lawyers can be discontent and frustrated by the routines of law practice. A lawyer's skills, nevertheless, were instrumental in securing the release of Pound from imprisonment, where he had languished as a result of treason charges stemming from irresponsible conduct during the War.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 26

Keywords: legal profession, happiness and unhappiness, legal biography

Accepted Paper Series