Adrienne Rich
American poet and feminist theorist whose 'Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence' and 'Of Woman Born' are foundational texts of lesbian feminism. Her poetry collections, especially Diving into the Wreck, chart her political and personal transformation. She is one of the most important American poets and feminists of the 20th century.
Works
- A Change of WorldDebut collection of formally structured poems about power, identity, and constraint
- Snapshots of a Daughter-in-LawPoetry about women's roles, consciousness, and the everyday constraints of domestic life
- Diving into the WreckLandmark poem exploring female sexuality, history, and archaeological metaphors
- The Dream of a Common LanguagePoetry about lesbian love, desire, and shared feminist vision among women
- An Atlas of the Difficult WorldPoetry sequence mapping American landscape, history, and social fragmentation
- Of Woman BornTheoretical essay on motherhood, reproduction, patriarchy, and women's autonomy
- Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian ExistenceInfluential essay arguing compulsory heterosexuality is a political system, not personal choice
- On Lies, Secrets, and SilenceCollection of essays exploring women's oppression, silence, and paths to liberation