Anjela duval: Breton poet, peasant and militant

Abstract

In 1981 Brittany lost one of its national heroes, a self-educated woman of extraordinary vision and talent, an adamant defender of her native Breton language, and a full-time farmer. Anjela Duval began writing poetry when she was in her early fifties, and within 10 years was recognized by many of her compatriots as one of the most accomplished and powerful poets of the language. A frequent theme of her poetry was the necessity for Bretons to reclaim their language and their culture from the encroachments of the French: as has literary fame spread, so did her prominence as a leader in the cultural and linguistic revival in Britanny during the 1960s and '70s. Her modest farm became a mecca for poets, writers, singers, and other artists and intellectuals committed to the promotion of the Breton language and culture: her literary and emotional impact on contemporary Bretons has been enormous. This article sketches in the main outlines of this unusual woman's life, filling them in with selected examples of her copious poems (which the author has translated from the Breton). A brief consideration of Duval from a feminist perspective is provided in the final section.