Wallace Stevens

Wallace Stevens
Photograph by Sylvia Salmi. For countries that base the length of a copyright te · Public domain · source
Name	Wallace Stevens
Birth date	October 2, 1879
Birth place	Reading, Pennsylvania
Death date	August 2, 1955
Death place	Hartford, Connecticut
Occupation	Poet, lawyer, insurance executive
Nationality	American
Notableworks	Harmonium, Ideas of Order, The Auroras of Autumn

Wallace Stevens was a renowned American poet, born in Reading, Pennsylvania, who is best known for his unique and innovative style, which was influenced by Imagism, Symbolism, and Modernism. Stevens' poetry was heavily influenced by the works of Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and William Carlos Williams, and he is often associated with the Harlem Renaissance and the Lost Generation. Throughout his life, Stevens maintained a successful career as an insurance executive at The Hartford, while also publishing numerous collections of poetry, including Harmonium and Ideas of Order, which were praised by critics such as Marianne Moore and Allen Tate.

● Life

Stevens was born to Garrett Barcalow Stevens and Margaret Stevens, and he spent his childhood in Reading, Pennsylvania, and later attended Harvard University, where he studied Philosophy and Literature. After graduating from Harvard University, Stevens moved to New York City and began working as a journalist, writing for publications such as The New York Tribune and The Wall Street Journal. In 1909, Stevens married Elsie Kachel, and the couple had one daughter, Holly Stevens, who would later become a writer and editor in her own right, publishing works such as Letters of Wallace Stevens and editing the Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens. Stevens' life was marked by a series of significant events, including his service in World War I, his friendship with Robert Frost, and his involvement with the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

● Poetry

Stevens' poetry is known for its unique blend of Imagism and Symbolism, and his collections, such as Harmonium and The Auroras of Autumn, are considered some of the most important works of Modernist poetry. Stevens' poetry was influenced by a wide range of sources, including the works of William Shakespeare, John Keats, and Emily Dickinson, as well as the art of Paul Cézanne and Pablo Picasso. His poetry often explores themes of Nature, Beauty, and the Human Condition, and is characterized by its use of complex Metaphor and Allusion, as seen in poems such as The Emperor of Ice-Cream and Thirteen Ways to Look at a Blackbird. Stevens' poetry was widely praised by critics, including T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and Marianne Moore, and he was awarded numerous honors, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the National Book Award.

● Style and Themes

Stevens' style is characterized by its use of complex Imagery and Symbolism, as well as its exploration of themes such as Reality, Perception, and the Human Condition. His poetry often incorporates elements of Mythology and Folklore, and is influenced by the works of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf. Stevens' poetry is also notable for its use of Allusion and Reference, drawing on a wide range of sources, including The Bible, Greek Mythology, and Shakespearean Drama. The themes of Stevens' poetry are often explored in relation to the works of other poets, such as Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, and his style has been influential to a wide range of writers, including John Ashbery and Mark Strand. Stevens' poetry has also been compared to the works of Henri Matisse and Georges Braque, and has been praised for its innovative use of Language and Form.

● Legacy

Stevens' legacy is profound, and his poetry has had a significant influence on the development of Modernist poetry and Contemporary poetry. His work has been widely studied and admired, and he is considered one of the most important American poets of the 20th century. Stevens' poetry has been translated into numerous languages, including French, Spanish, and German, and has been praised by critics such as Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault. His influence can be seen in the work of a wide range of writers, including Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, and Adrienne Rich, and his poetry continues to be widely read and studied today, with many of his collections, including The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens and Selected Poems of Wallace Stevens, remaining in print. Stevens' legacy has also been recognized through numerous awards and honors, including the Bollingen Prize for American Poetry and the National Medal of Arts.

● Bibliography

Stevens' bibliography includes numerous collections of poetry, such as Harmonium, Ideas of Order, and The Auroras of Autumn, as well as several volumes of essays and letters, including The Necessary Angel and Letters of Wallace Stevens. His poetry has been widely anthologized, and can be found in collections such as The Norton Anthology of American Literature and The Oxford Book of American Poetry. Stevens' work has also been translated into numerous languages, and has been published in a wide range of countries, including France, Spain, and Japan. Many of his collections have been edited by notable scholars, including Holly Stevens and Frank Kermode, and his poetry continues to be widely studied and admired today, with many of his works, including The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens and Selected Poems of Wallace Stevens, remaining in print and widely available. Category:American poets