This Week in Literary History: William S. Burroughs Kills Joan Vollmer in a Drunken Game of “William Tell”
This first appeared in Lit Hub’s Literary History newsletter—sign up here. On the afternoon of September 6, 1951, in a friend’s Mexico City apartment, a drunk William S. Burroughs pulled out his handgun and (supposedly) said to his wife, Joan Vollmer, “It’s
Résumé
Who were Burroughs and Vollmer
William S.
Burroughs and Joan Vollmer were a married couple living in Mexico City in 1951.
Burroughs was an American writer who later became a central figure in the Beat Generation, a mid-20th century literary movement known for its rejection of conventional society and exploration of countercultural themes.
Vollmer was a writer and intellectual who shared Burroughs’ interests in avant-garde literature and alternative lifestyles.
Both were part of a bohemian circle that included other writers and artists.
The couple had moved to Mexico City in part to escape legal troubles Burroughs faced in the United States related to drug use.
Their relationship was marked by intense intellectual engagement but also by personal struggles, including Vollmer’s struggles with amphetamine addiction.
Lire l'analyse complète en 4 points →
Commentaires (0)
Connecte-toi pour commenter
Se connecterAucun commentaire pour le moment.
Voir aussi
Plus de contenus dans cette catégorie →Découvre plus de contenu sur Napseflow
