The Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Robert Lowell
- First Published: 1945
- Type of Work: Elegy
- Genres: Poetry, Elegy
- Subjects: Religion, New England, Violence, Islands, Christianity, Death or dying, Sea or seafaring life, Funeral rites or ceremonies, Religious life, Cemeteries, Ocean, Society of Friends or Quakers, Whales or whaling
The Poem
“The Quaker Graveyard in Nantucket” is one of the noisiest poems in the English language. Robert Lowell employs a multitude of harsh sounds, broken rhythms, and recurring patterns of alliteration to reflect the poem’s preoccupation with the violence and turbulence of the world it depicts.
The poem is divided into seven parts, differing in length and tone. It begins with an evocation of the violent death of Warren Winslow, one of Lowell’s cousins, who was lost at sea when his ship sank during World War II; the poem is dedicated to Winslow’s memory....
[The entire page is 1343 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
See Also
