Versatility Of William Carlos Williams' Poetic Art

William Carlos Williams was a unique figure in American poetry. He is regarded as one of the greatest poets in modern American poetry. Many of his poems asserted the importance of close attention to the overlooked people and things of American culture. He was succeeded in making the ordinary appear extraordinary through the clarity of imagery. He persisted in seeing America as the place where his poetry should be rooted. Williams also opposed making general statements or expressing abstract ideas in poetry. His poetry stayed at the surface of life, presenting details of the ordinary scene around him without comment. He thought it was the poet's job to deal with concrete particulars. Some critics call Williams'poetry"the poetry of senses". Many of his poems demand close participation on the part of the reader. He tried to establish contact between readers and the objects he described in his poem. Furthermore, he was once a loyal disciple of Whitman and Pound. He learned from these great literary predecessors. On the other hand, he tried to free himself from their influence by forming his own styles. Apart from influences of these literary ones, Williams'stylistic indebtedness to art, especially to painting is of great importance.Therefore, through the textual analysis of some of Williams'poems, this thesis devotes to a thorough exploration of Williams'poetic art. It intends to discuss William Carlos Williams'poetic art from three aspects. Chapter One emphasizes on the simplicity, specificity and locality of his poetic subject matter. Chapter Two explores the multiplicity in imagery and how the brilliant poetic creation excited readers'complex senses. Chapter Three mainly focuses on diversity in techniques. Through deep analysis, readers have a comprehensive understanding of Williams'poems.