Daniel Hoffman Criticism
Daniel Gerard Hoffman, an influential American poet, critic, and editor, left an indelible mark on contemporary literature through his extensive body of work, characterized by its rich exploration of nature, myth, and the human condition. Born in 1923, Hoffman gained early recognition with his poetry collection An Armada of Thirty Whales, which was selected for the Yale Series of Younger Poets in 1954. His poetry deftly intertwines themes of nature's constancy and the regenerative power of myth, inviting readers to engage with the introspective examination of the creative process. Notably, Hoffman's poetry is celebrated for its intricate metaphors and meticulous form, as praised by Richard Howard, while W. H. Auden acknowledges how Hoffman's work reconciles the tensions of modern life through a lens that captures both pain and joy.
Hoffman’s engagement with historical and cultural themes is notably present in Brotherly Love, which offers a nuanced exploration of American identity. This work, along with others, has been both praised and critiqued by scholars such as Monroe K. Spears and James Finn Cotter. Hoffman's study of folklore and mythological traditions imbues his poetry with a distinctive depth, providing insightful commentary on the broader American literary landscape, as noted by Jan W. Dietrichson.
While Hoffman's poetry receives accolades for its vivid imagery and insightful parables, it also faces critique, as seen in An Armada of Thirty Whales, where Howard Nemerov observes a tendency toward sentimental conclusions. Hoffman's scholarly work, such as "Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe," garners recognition for its in-depth analysis of Edgar Allan Poe but is critiqued by Anthony Holden for a lack of conciseness.
Exploring themes of exile and imaginative rebirth, Hoffman's poetry, including "The Center of Attention," demonstrates his command of language and rhythm. However, critics like Peter Cooley and Andrew Waterman note areas where his work could benefit from a more unified vision. Despite these critiques, Judith Moffett recognizes the distinctiveness of Hoffman's style, which sets him apart from other contemporary poets focused on confessional and autobiographical themes. Hoffman's unique blend of linguistic creativity and thematic exploration continues to draw the interest of scholars and readers alike.
Contents
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Hoffman, Daniel (Vol. 13)
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Howard Nemerov
(summary)
In the following essay, Howard Nemerov critiques Daniel Hoffman’s collection An Armada of Thirty Whales, asserting that while Hoffman's detailed observations of nature render intricate parables, the poems often falter at their conclusions due to a hesitance or fear of sentimentality.
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Anthony Holden
(summary)
In the following essay, Anthony Holden critiques Daniel Hoffman's study of Edgar Allan Poe, "Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe Poe," for its lack of conciseness and authority, despite acknowledging Hoffman's valuable insights into Poe's poetry and lesser-known works.
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Peter Cooley
(summary)
In the following essay, Peter Cooley critiques Daniel Hoffman's poetry collection "The Center of Attention," noting that while it showcases Hoffman's talents, it suffers from a lack of focus and fails to extend his reputation due to its tendency towards treating poems as mere exercises rather than cohesive expressions of deeper themes.
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Andrew Waterman
(summary)
In the following essay, Andrew Waterman argues that Daniel Hoffman's poetry, characterized by verbal playfulness and stylistic ingenuity, lacks a unifying vision but still achieves a compelling engagement through its linguistic creativity and thematic transitions from nature to human concerns.
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A Wry Amaze of Attention
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In the following essay, Judith Moffett examines Daniel Hoffman's poetic evolution documented in Able Was I Ere I Saw Elba, highlighting his blend of creative scholarship, nature-inspired metaphors, and evolving thematic concerns, while emphasizing his distinct style that contrasts with confessional and autobiographical poets.
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Another Country: The Poetry of Daniel Hoffman
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In the following essay, John Alexander Allen argues that Daniel Hoffman's poetry, with its recurring themes of exile, imaginative rebirth, and social conscience, embodies a masterful use of language and rhythm, exploring the poet's internal struggle to communicate profound experiences and emotions to the external world.
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Howard Nemerov
(summary)
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Hoffman, Daniel (Gerard)
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W. H. Auden
(summary)
In the following essay, W. H. Auden argues that Daniel Hoffman's poetry navigates the challenge of modernity by acknowledging life's pains while appreciating its joys, and contrasts the necessity of a conscious effort to connect with Nature against the Romantic ease, implying that Hoffman's approach yields richer poetic results through careful observation and metaphorical insight.
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Critical, Lyrical, Literal, and Rapt
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In the following essay, M. L. Rosenthal critiques Daniel Hoffman's Striking the Stones, arguing that while some attempts at blending irony and poignancy fall short, Hoffman excels with poems like "A Marriage" and "Testament," which reveal his true poetic presence through vivid imagery and subtle yet profound exploration of themes.
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Daniel Hoffman: A Testament of Change, Melting into Song
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In the following essay, Richard Howard examines Daniel Hoffman's poetry, particularly in "An Armada of Thirty Whales" and "A Little Geste," highlighting Hoffman's use of formal devices, cyclical themes, and archaic vocabulary to explore ritual and legendary narratives, ultimately arguing that these elements achieve a profound artistic depth.
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Daniel Hoffman's Poetry of Affection
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In the following essay, William Sylvester explores how Daniel Hoffman's poetry combines technical skill with affective resonance, creating a unique experience where the reader's awareness of style and tone shifts, allowing them to engage with the emotions and themes presented in the poems without a definitive interpretation.
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The Criticism of Daniel Hoffman
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In the following essay, Dietrichson argues that Daniel Hoffman is a leading American scholar-critic whose work, grounded in folklore and mythological traditions, provides insightful analyses of American literature, emphasizing the interplay between folklore motifs and cultural meanings in works by authors such as Hawthorne, Melville, Twain, and Poe.
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Paperbacks: 'Brotherly Love'
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The critic explores how Daniel Hoffman’s Brotherly Love intriguingly combines historical narrative and "found poetry" to reject modern poetic styles in favor of a diction-rich American classicism, focusing on the destruction of the Lenni Lenape Indians and critiquing Hoffman’s engagement with poetic predecessors like Whitman and Poe.
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Four Poets
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In the following essay, Paul Breslin critiques Daniel Hoffman's "Brotherly Love," highlighting the tension between Hoffman's portrayal of William Penn's utopian ideals and the historical failure of those ideals due to European concepts of property, while also noting the uneven treatment of sources and the work's overall literary merit.
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An American Epic
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In the following essay, Monroe K. Spears contends that Daniel Hoffman's "Brotherly Love" is a compelling American epic that successfully interweaves historical accuracy with literary imagination, offering a nuanced interpretation of American identity and history through its portrayal of William Penn and his relationship with Native Americans.
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'Brotherly Love'
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In the following essay, James Finn Cotter argues that Daniel Hoffman's poem Brotherly Love embodies the elements of an epic by exploring the founding of Pennsylvania as a microcosm of America, celebrating its historical origins and envisioning Philadelphia as a site where spiritual and cultural transformations unfold.
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W. H. Auden
(summary)
- Hoffman, Daniel (Vol. 6)