Wallace Stevens in Context

This book provides an in-depth introduction to the multifaceted life and times of Wallace Stevens, one of the great twentieth-century American poets.

Glen MacLeod (Edited by)

9781107110496, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 December 2016

392 pages
23.5 x 16 x 2.5 cm, 0.67 kg

'Stevens will never be reduced to context. But in helping us see the ways he interacts with context, and in shifting lenses to gain a prismatic sense of this poet's range and complexity, Stevens in Context is indispensable.' Bonnie Costello, The Wallace Stevens Journal

This book aims to provide an in-depth introduction to the multifaceted life and times of Wallace Stevens, who is generally considered one of the great twentieth-century American poets. In thirty-six short essays, an international team of distinguished scholars have created a comprehensive overview of Stevens' life and the world of his poetry. Individual chapters relate Stevens to important contexts such as the large Western movements of romanticism and modernism; particular American and European philosophical traditions; contemporary and later poets; the professional realms of law and insurance; the parallel art forms of painting, music, and theater; his publication history, critical reception, and his international reputation. Other chapters address topics of current interest such as war, politics, religion, race and the feminine. Informed by the latest developments in the field, but written in clear, jargon-free prose, Wallace Stevens in Context is an indispensable introduction to this great modern poet.

Part I. Places: 1. Reading, Pennsylvania Paul Mariani
2. Cambridge, Massachusetts Milton Bates
3. New York, New York Paul Mariani
4. Hartford, Connecticut John N. Serio
5. Florida Mark Scroggins
6. France Juliette Utard
7. The Orient Edward Ragg
Part II. Natural Contexts: 8. The seasons George S. Lensing
9. Landscape Justin Quinn
Part III. Literary Contexts: 10. Romanticism Charles Mahoney
11. Modernism Langdon Hammer
12. Poetic contemporaries Lee M. Jenkins
13. Later poets Al Filreis
14. Stevens' library Chris Beyers
15. Stevens' letters, notebooks, and journals Milton Bates
16. Stevens' essays William Doreski
17. Periodicals Craig Monk
18. Critical reception John Timberman Newcomb
19. International reputation Bart Eeckhout
Part IV. Other Arts: 20. The visual arts Glen MacLeod
21. Music Lisa Goldfarb
22. Theater Brenda Murphy
Part V. Intellectual Contexts: 23. American philosophy Rachel Malkin
24. European philosophy Krzysztof Ziarek
25. Aesthetics Charles Altieri
26. Abstraction Edward Ragg
Part VI. Social, Cultural, and Political Contexts: 27. War Charles Berger
28. Politics Patrick Redding
29. Religion Tony Sharpe
30. Race Rachel Galvin
31. Law Lawrence Joseph
32. Insurance Jason Puskar
33. The exotic Stephen Burt
34. The everyday Andrew Epstein
35. The (inter)personal Roger Gilbert
36. The feminine Lisa M. Steinman.

Subject Areas: Literary reference works [DSR], Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers [DSK], Literary studies: from c 1900 - [DSBH]