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

began to write about his manic depression and pessimistic outlook on life. “Waking in the

The collection History contains the poets opinions on world events and political

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

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

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

stanza he called the war unnecessary and immoral. “For the Union Dead’ Lowell writes

New York: Haper Collins Publishers, 1992.

to relate with America’s own sexual revolution (McAllister 222). Lowell describes the

tribulations of being jailed in federal prison for his opinions on World War II. In one

In 1970 Lowell published a volume of confessional poetry, The Dolphin, writing

about his own marital anguish and discord causing an extreme rift in his personal life. The

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

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