As the title suggests, this term paper deals with the topic of loss and separation in poetry. The texts which have been chosen as relevant material are the poems “THE BREAK AWAY ” by Anne Sexton, “SHE IS AWAY” by Kenneth Rexroth and “RIVER ROAD” by Stanley Kunitz1. These three poems center around the same problem but they differ not only in the perspective of the lyrical I2 but also in certain stylistic devices. It is the aim of this term paper to point some of these differences out and to describe the concept of loss and separation, i.e.: how loss and separation are perceived in each case by the lyrical I. In this context it should be mentioned that not all relevant elements of each poem can be taken into consideration- doing so would go beyond the scope of this term paper3. Consequently, the main idea is to present some basic ideas.
In some cases it will be necessary to look at certain parts of a poem in great detail. There will also be some autobiographical references to the lives of the authors – mainly to Anne Sexton and Kenneth Rexroth as only very few material has been available about Stanley Kunitz. In doing so the reader must be aware of the fact that the poems do surely not present totally autobiographical experiences- nevertheless it seems to be quite impossible to strictly keep these out of them.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Analysis of three poems
2.1 Anne Sexton: “THE BREAK AWAY”
2.2 Kenneth Rexroth: “SHE IS AWAY”
2.3 Stanley Kunitz: “RIVER ROAD”
3 Conclusion
4 Selected Bibliography
4.1 Primary Sources
4.2 Secondary Sources
Research Goals and Main Themes
This term paper examines the representation of loss and separation in post-1945 American poetry, specifically analyzing works by Anne Sexton, Kenneth Rexroth, and Stanley Kunitz. The primary objective is to explore how the lyrical subjects within these poems perceive, process, and articulate the grief associated with broken relationships and personal isolation.
- Thematic analysis of loss, separation, and emotional displacement in modern poetry.
- Comparative examination of stylistic devices used to convey personal trauma.
- Exploration of autobiographical influences on poetic expression.
- Investigation into the limitations of language when articulating deep emotional pain.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 Anne Sexton: “THE BREAK AWAY”
Anne Sexton’s poem “THE BREAK AWAY” presents the feelings of a personality that seems to be totally split. The lyrical I talks about a broken marriage and enables the reader to share the emotions it has which can be characterised as being something in between fear and hope or happi- and sadness. This juxtaposition is expressed from the first to the last section of the poem. No point of view seems to be dominant as the positive aspects of the broken marriage are described as well as the negative ones. At the end of the poem the reader is left alone with the decision of how to evaluate the story of the divorced couple – just is the lyrical I itself.
The lyrical I describes the courtroom, where the divorce is carried out, as “a cement box” (line 3) and “a gas chamber” (line 4). The images which are used here carry strong elements of death and destruction. This is once more stressed in lines 12 and 13 where it is said that “the courtroom keeps squashing our lives as they break/ into two cans ready for recycling” (line 13). The situation the divorce causes seems to be very problematic and it is obvious that the lyrical I does not know how to cope with it. Is the life after “my twenty-five years of hanging on ” (line 16) a “possibly promised land” (line 5) and- as the promised land did for the Jews symbolises liberation, or is it just “death” (line 8)?
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Defines the scope of the paper, introducing the three primary poems and the intention to analyze how lyrical subjects interpret loss and separation.
2 Analysis of three poems: Provides a detailed interpretation of Sexton's, Rexroth's, and Kunitz's works, focusing on imagery, personal trauma, and the struggle to process the end of relationships.
3 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while the poems differ in perspective and tone, they all converge on the profound difficulty of articulating grief and the lingering nature of traumatic memories.
4 Selected Bibliography: Lists the primary poetic texts and the secondary critical sources consulted for the research.
Keywords
Loss, Separation, American Poetry, Anne Sexton, Kenneth Rexroth, Stanley Kunitz, Broken Marriage, Grief, Lyrical I, Trauma, Autobiographical Reference, Emotional Displacement, Post-1945 Poetry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this term paper?
The paper focuses on the thematic representation of loss and separation in three specific American poems written after 1945.
Which authors and poems are analyzed?
The study analyzes “THE BREAK AWAY” by Anne Sexton, “SHE IS AWAY” by Kenneth Rexroth, and “RIVER ROAD” by Stanley Kunitz.
What is the main research goal?
The goal is to point out stylistic differences in how these poets describe the concept of loss and to explore how the lyrical subject in each case perceives their experience of separation.
Which methodology is applied?
The author uses a close-reading and interpretative approach, examining specific lines and imagery within the poems, while also occasionally incorporating relevant autobiographical biographical context.
What does the main part of the paper cover?
It covers individual analyses of the three poems, focusing on emotional states, the use of metaphors like "daisies" or "scissors," and the struggle to communicate pain.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Loss, separation, American poetry, personal trauma, grief, and lyrical subjectivity.
How does the paper relate the poems to the lives of the authors?
While the author emphasizes that the poems can stand on their own, it highlights specific instances, such as Anne Sexton’s divorce date, where autobiographical events likely informed the content of the verse.
What role do dreams and visions play in the poems discussed?
Dreams and nightmares are central to the lyrical subjects' experience of loss, often serving as a landscape where they attempt to process their confusion, trauma, and inability to reconcile with the present reality.
- Quote paper
- Hanno Frey (Author), 2000, The topic of loss and separation in poetry, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/11813
