Ezra Pound: Antisemitism and Personality

Ezra Pound, Venice, 1960's

First commenter: Ezra Pound is an outstanding poet and does not get the literary credit he deserves.

Second commenter: First commenter: NO he deserves NOTHING he was a damn Nazi.

Third commenter: He was more a sympathizer of Italian Fascism; they are distinct, I believe. And Mussolini refused to meet Pound after Pound wrote a half dozen letters offering his ideas about usury and social credit. Mussolini also thought Pound was mad.

Of course. He was one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. The Cantos are awesome.

He’s also known as an antisemite, but guess who else was? TS Eliot. George Orwell. And Voltaire. It only became proscribed here in the West very recently, and it’s reportedly back in the ring for another round as we speak. But at the same time antisemitism was much more common in Europe circa 1920 then it is today. In certain places like Germany or Austria it was basically normal to be an antisemite. You were odd if you were not one.

He is said to h…