Lawrence's debt to Whitman

£6.99

Symbiosis 7.1 99-117
Author: Keith Sagar
Pages: 21

'Lawrence’s Debt to Whitman' by Keith Sagar, explores the profound influence of Walt Whitman on D. H. Lawrence's poetry. Originally published in Symbiosis: a Journal of Anglo-American Literary Relations, this essay examines how Lawrence's encounter with Whitman's work transformed his poetic style and thematic concerns. Sagar delves into Lawrence's shift from traditional rhyming verse to free verse, drawing parallels with Whitman's revolutionary poetic techniques. This scholarly work is essential for readers interested in literary criticism, the evolution of modern poetry, and the dynamic interplay between American and British literary traditions.

Symbiosis 7.1 99-117
Author: Keith Sagar
Pages: 21

Essay Excerpt

"I believe that Lawrence became a great poet. I say ‘became’ because if he had died or given up poetry before 1920, he would not have been one. Of course, there are good poems from the earlier period, but all the great ones were written in the last decade of his life. And I believe that he could not have become a great poet without the influence of Whitman. I do not know of any great poet with a deeper debt to an earlier poet than Lawrence’s to Whitman."