Ezra Pound

Ezra Pound, born on October 30, 1885, in Hailey, Idaho, was an influential American poet and critic, pivotal in the development of modernist poetry. Raised in Pennsylvania, Pound exhibited a profound literary aptitude early on, leading him to study at the University of Pennsylvania and Hamilton College. By 1908, he had moved to Europe, settling primarily in London, where he became a key figure in the imagist movement, advocating for clarity and precision in poetry.

Pound's notable works include "Ripostes" (1912), "Hugh Selwyn Mauberley" (1920), and his lifelong epic, "The Cantos," which he continuously revised until his death. His friendships and collaborations with contemporaries like T.S. Eliot, James Joyce, and W.B. Yeats helped shape the literary landscape of the 20th century.

During World War II, Pound's controversial political views and support for Mussolini led to his arrest for treason. He was confined in a mental hospital in Washington, D.C., from 1946 to 1958, escaping a formal trial on grounds of insanity. Released due to pressure from literary peers, he spent his final years in Italy. Ezra Pound died on November 1, 1972, in Venice, leaving behind a complex legacy marked by both literary genius and contentious ideology.