Djuna Barnes

Deborah Parsons (University of Birmingham)
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Djuna Barnes was born on June 12th 1892 in Cornwall-on-Hudson. Her father, Wald Barnes, was a dilettante artist and polygamist, whose wife, mistress and their children all lived in the same household, supported by his indulgent and equally free-thinking mother Zadel. As a child Djuna adored Zadel, who, as a journalist herself, undoubtedly influenced her granddaughter's interest in art and literature. Her unconventional upbringing was otherwise, however, disturbing and abusive, and she later hinted at family incest, revealing that her father, with her mother and grandmother's acquiescence, had humiliatingly arranged her sexual initiation. The emotional repercussions of this experience remained with Djuna throughout her life and would arise persistently in her writing. Elizabeth Barnes…

1877 words

Citation: Parsons, Deborah. "Djuna Barnes". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 July 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=266, accessed 21 November 2024.]

266 Djuna Barnes 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.

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