Mark Van Doren Criticism
Mark Van Doren (1894–1972) was a multifaceted American writer celebrated primarily for his lyric poetry. His work often encapsulates the natural beauty of rural New England, drawing comparisons to Robert Frost, and is infused with transcendental themes that echo humanistic and idealistic concerns. Van Doren's poetry is noted for its blend of skepticism and mysticism, as Marguerite Young discusses in Mark Van Doren: A Poet in an Age of Defoliation. His elegiac and nostalgic imagery captures the fleeting nature of beauty and reality, placing both the tangible and the elusive within a mythic and cosmic framework. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 1940, Van Doren's contributions to poetry also reflect the modernist attributes of wit and irony, especially in his early works like "Immortal," although his later writings, such as "This Ground So Bare," have been critiqued for their lack of innovation and engagement, as noted by Marjorie Perloff. His extensive body of work, including plays, novels, and children's literature, underscores his versatility and enduring influence in American letters.
Contents
- Van Doren, Mark (Vol. 6)
-
Van Doren, Mark (Vol. 10)
-
Mark Van Doren: A Poet in an Age of Defoliation
(summary)
In the following essay, Marguerite Young explores Mark Van Doren's poetry as a juxtaposition of skepticism and mysticism, where his elegiac and nostalgic imagery reflects on the transience of beauty and reality, embodying both the tangible and the elusive within a poetic landscape informed by cosmic and mythic themes.
-
Marjorie Perloff
(summary)
In the following essay, Marjorie Perloff argues that while Mark Van Doren's earlier poetry, such as in "Immortal," exemplifies modernist attributes of wit and irony, his later works, including "This Ground So Bare," lack engagement and innovation, ultimately rendering his treatment of human experience as simplistic and outdated.
-
Mark Van Doren: A Poet in an Age of Defoliation
(summary)