User:Rine02lessthan3/Choose an Article

Article Selection

Please list articles that you're considering for your Wikipedia assignment below. Begin to critique these articles and find relevant sources.

Option 1

Amarilis (poet)

This article is a stub, but the little that is said all seems to be relevant. There is a significant claim that currently remains uncited: the fact that Amarilis is only known for a single poem, which they had sent to Spanish playwright Lopa de Vega. I think that this information is significant because it describes the full length of Amarilis' poetry career, as well as who they corresponded with and how their poem became known. In other words, this uncited claim gives a good insight into the article's notability. While a poet with one poem may not seem very notable, there are theories as to who they may have been that add value to their name. As a matter of fact, it's entirely possible that Amarilis was a pseudonym used by a descendant of the accomplished Spanish explorer and conquistador Luis de Moscoso Alvarado. According to Encyclopedia.com, Amarilis was known more publicly as Doña Maria de Alvarado, who lived approximately a century after her famous relative. This uncited claim also said that Amarilis "evidently admired" the playwright, which is ironic wording considering the lack of evidence. Therefore, this article is not entirely neutral; in my opinion, it seems as though Lopa de Vega is Amarilis' claim to fame. The article's only citation also frames Amarilis as "Lope de Vega's 'Amarilis Indiana'," which may explain this stance. I found this article in the Peruvian poets section of Wikipedia:WikiProject Women in Red/Poets. The article tackles the intersectional equity gaps of female and indigenous poets (Amarilis' gender is not known, but my above cited claim points to possibility that they are a woman), who are underrepresented as there tend not to be enough sources about such creators to make them "notable." The article's cited JSTOR source also said that Amarilis may have been a playwright, but it seemed unlikely because of the lack of women playwrights in the lands that Spain had conquered at the time.

The article's talk page is empty, but I hope that my contributions would spark conversations about this gifted poet that was somehow shrouded in mystery.

Sources

Amarilis (poet)

"Amarilis (fl. 17th c.) ." Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. . Retrieved September 22, 2021 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/amarilis-fl-17th-c

Leonard, Irving A. (May 1937). Leonard, Irving A. (ed.). "More Conjectures regarding the Identity of Lope de Vega's "Amarilis Indiana"". Hispania. 20 (2): 113–120. doi:10.2307/332321. JSTOR 332321.

Luis de Moscoso Alvarado

comment - np

This is a fascinating topic. Your research so far shows that Amarilis is notable and that reliable sources are available.  You note that there is a significant uncited claim in the current article.  It seems you’re referring to the first sentence.  I wonder whether footnote 1, following the second sentence, is meant to cover the first sentence too (a look at Leonard should clear this up).  In any case you’re right that the first sentence should be footnoted.

As for sources: I agree that the Encyclopedia.com article should be used with caution (but it can certainly be consulted).  Leonard’s article, which appears to be well documented, could be a place to look further.  It’s interesting that this article, as the only cited source, is dated 1937.  A quick library search shows that more recent sources may be available, including a 2009 critical edition of the poem.  Even if a source is in Spanish, it may still be of some use.  Are translations of the poem available?   

One note: the playwright’s name is Lope (not Lopa).  

Option 2

Irma Alvarez Ccoscco

This start article is incredibly brief, but full of relevant information that is properly cited. The references themselves seem a bit repetitive, but it appears that there are around 6 or 7 that are distinct. The article is written using neutral phrases and does not betray the editors' opinions. I believe that Ccoscco is definitely notable enough to warrant a more fleshed-out Wikipedia article about her; even a cursory Google search with her full name points to a full page of sources about the poet. By contributing to this article, I will also be addressing one of Wikipedia's equity gaps, not only relating to identity, but also about language. Quechua is a language spoken by indigenous groups in Peru, and it has been all but wiped out due to colonization. As Ccoscco is still living, it is crucial to start a dialogue about her work now, so that her article can be built upon as she continues to connect Quechua to the modern world of software.

The talk page is currently empty.

comment - np

This is a good option. Your evaluation of the current article is fine, and you provide a convincing justification for expanding it.  The article would benefit from a closer look at Alvarez Ccoscco’s poetry.  Have you been able to find translations of her poems? I found one https://musuqilla.info/en/poem-bookshelf/kawsaq-en/, but there may be more available (possibly in connection with her visit to Penn, which has an active poetry program).  

There’s a typo in the poet’s name in the Language Activism section of the Wikipedia article.  You could correct it even if you decide not to work on the article (if you don’t want to do it, I will).

Option 3

Anna Tompson Hayden

This article is red-linked, meaning it does not yet exist. However, I still believe that Hayden is a notable figure who deserves encyclopedic recognition. She is a relative of elegist Benjamin Tompson, and was the one who wrote an elegy for him once he had passed. Female elegists had begun to demonstrate an authority of the female voice, which Hayden was a notable example of. As a woman who paved the way for other elegists like herself, Hayden is a figure whose presence on Wikipedia would tackle some of its equity gaps. Hayden also had the unique circumstance of using poetry within the medium of an elegy, and gave unique insights on death and the existence of God.

comment - np

This, too, is an interesting and worthwhile topic, and you justify it well.  I have not yet been able to find the complete text of Hayden’s one extant elegy, but it should be available (Cavitch may have relevant information).  I did not know about Hayden or about Benjamin Tompson (his poetry looks interesting too). It sounds as though you found sources for further research, so I assume you would be able to proceed with this topic.