Lowell, Robert (Vol. 11) - Introduction

Lowell, Robert 1917–1977

Winner of two Pulitzer Prizes and a National Book Award, Lowell is generally considered the premier American poet of his generation. Though not allied with any school or movement, he frequently gave voice to his social concerns, which also led many to consider him to be the prototypical liberal intellectual writer of his time. In his work he explored the contradictions in American life and the failure of Puritan ethics. A traditional stylist, he used complicated formal patterns and rhyme schemes while examining very personal topics, in contrast to the free form style of the Beats. This concern with traditional forms culminated in his book-length sonnet sequence, The Dolphin. Lowell was also a widely acclaimed translator and playwright as well as critic and editor. (See also CLC, Vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and Contemporary Authors, Vols. 9-12, rev. ed.; obituary, Vols. 73-76.)