create a realistic theme, granting him the title "Father of Confessional Poetry". Lowell's

family history, his bouts of madness, marital problems, and scandalous opinions all were

required for his unruly art. Lowell used detail from life to position his readers in psychic

moments from which truths were spoken. Critics went so far as to describe Lowell as a

Lowells domestic turmoil and family history is also reflected heavily in his works.

In the 'Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket,' Robert Lowell uses the occasion of his cousins

early death to write a poem of a lost cousin that was killed aboard his naval ship during

World War II. Later this poem served as an elegy at his cousins funeral. 'For the Union

Dead' is thought to be a family poem in its sources. Lowell quotes from a letter that

Charles Russell Lowell, wrote home to his wife, Josephine, about her brothers burial. In

'Life Studies', Lowell reveals his inner torments as a child. He talks openly about his

mother's death and his father's alcoholism. In one line he compares his father to an out of

War was a major issue Lowell liked to address. He discussed war in such poems

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information in these books. The poems Lowell created call to mind other sexually and

about ancestors killed int he war, taking quotes from letters the soldier wrote to his wife,

Writer's, New York: Oxford University, Press,

her. Lowell was fascinated with writing even in his romances, Both of his marriages were

precious by adapting into artful free-verse poems others can relate to. Though he suffered

Lowell"s sister. Later, Lowell used the anti war theme in other works to reach hieghts of

plot of Skunk Hour, is one of self recognition. Lowell uncovers himself in the line

After being admitted to a near mental hospital, diagnosed with bipolar, Lowell

and taken advantage of in his second marriage. "In Man and Wife" Lowell addressed his

lines "Now as white and winded as a Kite" Lowell explains his experience of unhappiness

stanza he called the war unnecessary and immoral. "For the Union Dead' Lowell writes

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 869
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)