An Understanding of H.D.'s Approaches

Euripides' Ion constitutes another demanding work in which H.D. processes and amplifies her task as poet and translator. This play signals a turning point in H.D.'s Euripidean studies since the text embeds a complex pattern of generic and mythic patterns which she infuses into the prose captions, that is, the preludes to the lyric and dramatic parts. In addition, it is her first work that receives critical attention following her first poetic period. At this point, she becomes acknowledged as a poet other than her formerly known self as an Imagist icon. Ion marks a time when H.D.'s dialogue with Euripides seems more flexible and freer from form-imposed affiliations or generic boundaries.