Poetry of/and Survival

1. Poetry of/and Survival HUM 3285: British and American Literature Spring 2011 Dr. Perdigao March 14, 2011

2. In Memoriam Robert Lowell, Jr. (1917-1977) Born in Boston, attended Harvard (1935-7) but completed education at Kenyon College in Ohio in 1940 Conscientious objector during World War II, imprisoned in 1943-1944 1947 received a Guggenheim fellowship and Pulitzer Prize for Poetry Consultant in Poetry for the Library of Congress from 1947-1948 Emotional breakdowns, hospitalization Friendships with John Berryman, Randall Jarrell, Elizabeth Bishop, William Carlos Williams, Anne Sexton, younger writers studying with him at Boston University, Harvard, and the University of Iowa Changes in his writing—rebellion of elite Brahmin to immersion in art experienced at Kenyon, became Catholic in 1940, left church in 1950 (2505)

3. No Statues? Self-exploration and autobiography, Life Studies and For the Union Dead For the Union Dead as mix of autobiographical and fascination with history Politically active—marching against Pentagon in 1967 1970s, with marriage to Caroline Blackwood, spent time between England and New England Considered most important and influential poet of his generation (2505)

4. Documenting the times Robert Bly (b. 1926) Harvard graduate Idea of realism in poetry, contrast to high formalist poetry of Richard Wilbur and Robert Lowell Like Denise Levertov, Muriel Rukeyser, Adrienne Rich, Robert Lowell, and Allen Ginsberg , proponent of Writers and Artists Against the Vietnam War (2755) Interest in psychology—Jungian, archetypal, mystical Ecological preservation Translations of Vallejo, Neruda, Rilke, and others Poetry of “search” (2754)

5. Poetry, Prophecy, Survival Denise Levertov (1923-1997) Born in Essex, England Nurse during World War II, emigrated to US in 1948 Taught at Vassar, Drew, City College of New York, MIT, Tufts University, Brandeis University, retired from Stanford University in 1994 Influenced by William Carlos Williams Love, motherhood, nature, war, nuclear arms race, mysticism, poetry, role of poet (2768) From father, Judaism, after his conversion, Christian scholarship and mysticism, Welsh intensity and lyric feeling of her mother Humanitarian politics—protesting Mussolini, Britain’s lack of support for Spain, working for League of Nations Union, for German and Austrian refugees (2769)

6. Poetry, Prophecy, Survival Lyricism with social and political themes “not a breaking down but a breaking open”

7. Inside the black granite Yusef Komunkyakaa (b. 1947) Born in Louisiana Tour of duty in Vietnam as information specialist from 1965-1968, editing military newspaper Southern Cross; won Bronze Star Enrolled at the University of Colorado; Colorado State University (M.A. in creative writing) and University of California, Irvine (M.F.A.) Dien Cai Dau (1988) war poems Two creative writing fellowships from National Endowment for the Arts; held Lilly Professorship of Poetry at Indiana University Collection Neon Vernacular, which included his poems, received Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

8. Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@?*!???? Art Spiegelman (b. 1948) Pulitzer Prize winner in 1992 Maus: A Survivor’s Tale (1986), second volume in 1991 Born in Sweden, to Anja and Vladek Spiegelman, Auschwitz survivors (3251) Grew up in Queens; moved to San Francisco after dropping out of Harpur College (SUNY Binghamton) Postmodern emphasis on narrative Way we think about comics as literature Self-reflexive narrative, examining own style and use of past and present In the Shadow of No Towers (2004); now preparing Meta Maus