Dorothy Shakespear - Later Years

Later Years

On 25 November 1945, Pound was arraigned in Washington D.C. on charges of treason. The list of charges included broadcasting for the enemy, attempting to persuade American citizens to undermine government support for the war, and strengthening morale in Italy against the United States. Pound was unwell at the reading and remanded to a Washington D.C. hospital where he underwent psychiatric evaluation. A week later he was admitted to St. Elizabeths hospital and assigned to a lunatic ward until February 1947. Unable to renew her passport, Dorothy only arrived in June, when her 'legally incompetent' husband was placed in her charge. She was allowed infrequent visits until his move to Chestnut Ward the following year—the result of an appeal she initiated—after which she spent several hours with him each day. Upon his release twelve years later, they returned to Italy. According to Wilhelm, Dorothy was too frail to continue tending her husband, and Olga took over. From 1962 she lived with her in Sant'Ambrogio.