Modernist Poets E.E. Cummings, Wallace Stevens, and T.S. Eliot Change the Face of American Poetry

Poetry as a literally work in which the expression of ideas and feelings is given strength has had great authors overtime who took different perspectives in this genre of literature. These poets used distinctive rhythm and style to express their styles, poetic themes, outlook on life, and had their share of influence on the American society. This paper uses the basis of these styles, themes, outlook on life and subsequent influence on the American society to compare three prolific poets who ventured into this literature genre: Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Maya Angelou. Robert Frost (1874-1963) holds a unique and almost sole position in the career span which mostly encompasses

T.S. full name is Thomas Stearns Eliot. He had written a total of 68 poems, dramas, etc. in total (Wikipedia). There are many influences, but I think that Vivienne Haigh-Wood, Eliot`s first wife, Ezra Pound, his mentor and religion are one of the biggest influences on T.S. Eliot.

In the early 1900s a new era of poetry had swept in. Imagery would craft a generation of poets, and with it would be William Carlos Williams’ opportunity to break out into the world of poetry. Williams would be a pioneer in the movement and help to generate a widespread interest in this new genre. Williams’

How has Eliot used both conventional and Modernist poetic techniques to represent his Modernist concerns?

Parini, Jay, ed. The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature. Vol. 1. New York: Oxford UP, 2004. Print.

Poetry has a way of having a significant impact on the way society thinks about and conceptualizes certain issues. In fact, a major part of the culture of a society comes from the poetry at the time and this has been true dating as far back as the work of William Shakespeare. Today, on the other hand, society has developed and advanced significantly and American society in particular. Whereas cultures and societies were traditionally grouped together, the United States has been different in that it has been one of the greatest cultural and societal melting pots in the history of the world. Consistent with Caucasians, African Americans, Latin Americans, men, women, and a variety of other diverse demographics all in between, the United States also faces societal issues that are much different than those which may take place in as a result of such a diverse population base. Among the most significant issue that takes place in this regard is the significant amount of inequality. Inequality has been the focus of many contemporary poems and is one of the leading topics of focus in modern poetry analysis.

“[F]uture commentators on American poetry and political issues will not be able to ignore the … authentic voice of the region,” argues Barry Ahearn, author of the article Poetry: 1900 to the 1940s, which discusses the importance of the author writing about his or her region of choice in their poetry and how it affects their writing (Ahearn 373). Ahearn discusses writers such as Sterling A. Brown, Langston Hughes, H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Robert Frost, Robinson Jeffers, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Lorine Niedecker, George Oppen, John Crowe Ransom, Charles Rezikoff, Muriel Rukeyser, Gertrude Stine, Wallace Stevens, Sara Teasdale, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofksy. The purpose of mentioning so many, claims Ahearn, is to

Edward Estlin Cummings, commonly referred to as E. E. Cummings, was born on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was a source of vast knowledge and was responsible for many creative works other than his poetry, such as novels, plays, and paintings. He published his first book of poetry Tulips and Chimneys in 1923. Many of his poems are known for the visual effects they create through his unusual placement of words on the page, as well as, his lack of punctuation and capitalization. The manner in which Cummings arranges the words of his poems creates an image in the reader's mind of the topic he is discussing, such as a season or climbing stairs. His visual style also

American poetry, unlike other nations’ poetry, is still in the nascent stage because of the absence of a history in comparison to other nations’ poetry humming with matured voices. Nevertheless, in the past century, American poetry has received the recognition it deserves from the creative poetic compositions of Walt Whitman, who has been called “the father of American poetry.” His dynamic style and uncommon content is well exhibited in his famous poem “Song of Myself,” giving a direction to the American writers of posterity. In addition, his distinct use of the line and breath has had a huge impression on the compositions of a number of poets, especially on the works of the present-day poet Allen Ginsberg, whose debatable poem “Howl”

He claims that “as far as the public is concerned, poetry died with the modernists,” for only a “few passing pedestrians could name a poet from the last 50 to 60 years” (Gillespie 1). He then states that if you “[a]sk anyone to name a novelist of the last half century, … names will come tumbling,” but if you “[a]sk anyone to name a contemporary poet, … you will be lucky to scrape by with John Ashbery” (Gillespie 1). Even though John Ashbery is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, he is unknown to most people. Gillespie believes that the public is forgetting poetry.

Edward Estlin Cummings was born October 14, 1894 in the town of Cambridge Massachusetts. His father, and most constant source of awe, Edward Cummings, was a professor of Sociology and Political Science at Harvard University. In 1900, Edward left Harvard to become the ordained minister of the South Congregational Church, in Boston. As a child, E.E. attended Cambridge public schools and lived during the summer with his family in their summer home in Silver Lake, New Hampshire. (Kennedy 8-9) E.E. loved his childhood in Cambridge so much that he was inspired to write disputably his most famous poem, "In Just-" (Lane pp. 26-27)

Two poets can be both alike and different, just as the two poets Edgar Lee Masters and Amy Lowell are Edgar Lee Masters and Amy Lowell write poetry about life, finding love and experiencing loss in very different ways, but both are successful in bringing about a truly touching connection with their readers. These two poets have an extraordinary ability to attract their audiences, by using both romanticism and modern techniques in their writing. Amy Lowell said it best when she said, “A poet feeds on beauty as a plant feeds on air,” and both of these poets are obviously very talented and successful in using natural beauty to be a driving force in their poetry. In her book Tendencies in Modern American Poetry,

Steven Wallace is one of the most respected poets in America. Through his progression, he had full determination to become successful writer. He was a philosopher of aesthetics, vigorously exploring the notion of poetry. From his extreme technical and thematic complexity of his work, employing extraordinary vocabulary, and rigorous precision of crafting poems, Stevens was considered a willfully difficult poet. He was acknowledged as eminent abstractionist and a provocative think. His reputation lives on since his death.

Cummings had a unique career and writing style. Over time, he developed his writing style to become an innovative poet because of his lack of stylistic and structural conformity. After publishing quality poems for much of his career, he eventually found wide recognition. In his work, Cummings experimented radically with form, punctuation, spelling, and syntax, and by abandoning traditional techniques and structures to create a new, highly idiosyncratic means of poetic expression, he challenged the status quo in literature and poetry. This is highly reflective of his writing, however, later in his career, Cummings was often criticized for becoming more conservative and less progressive with his work. E.E. Cummings ultimately refined his signature style and avoided pressing his work toward further evolution. Nevertheless, he attained great popularity, especially among young readers, for the simplicity of his language, his playful mode, and his attention to subjects such as war and sex. The poet and critic Randall Jarrell once said that Cummings is “one of the most individual poets who ever lived, and though it sometimes seems so, it is not just his vices and exaggerations, the defects of his qualities, that make a writer popular. But, primarily, Mr. Cummings’s poems are loved because they are full of sentimentally, of sex, of more or less improper jokes, of elementary lyric insistence.” Clearly, Cummings’ work was rebellious and contrarian to traditional literature. E.E. Cummings was part of the “Modern” literary period. Other famous American poets from this era include Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, E. St. V. Millay, Audre Lord, Walt Whitman, and Edwin Arlington. This literary period had a profound impact on Cummings’ work and even world events influenced his poems. Over the course of E.E. Cummings’ career, several major world events took place. World War I and World War II both occurred during

Because of the strong ties to European poetry, American poets wanted to distinguish themselves from their origins and began their crusade to build a new foundation for American poetry. Therefore, the “19th century began with high hopes for poetic accomplishment. The first comprehensive anthologies of American poetry appeared in the 1820s, 1830s, and 1840s. In the first half of the century poets sought to entertain, to inform, and to put into memorable language America’s history, myths, manners, and topography, but they did not seek to forge a radical new poetic tradition. Their poetry built upon tradition, and they met the first great goal of American poetry: that it be able to compete in quality, intelligence, and breadth with British poetry. But just as they achieved this goal, poetic aspirations began to change. By the mid-19th century the new goal for American poetry was to create something very different from British poetry.” (MarcoPolo.net).