Solitariness In Louise Glück's Selected Poems

As the Pulitzer Prize winner in 1993 and the U.S. poet laureate for 2003-2004, Louise Glück(1943-) and her poetry have always had a philosophical enlightenment for readers. She is good at combining classic myths with her own life experiences in her literary writings. Her poetry mainly signals a preoccupation with philosophical thinking such as life, death, loss, and solitariness. This thesis intends to analyze the new idea of solitariness in Louise Glück's poetry mainly based on Erich Fromm's theories by means of interpreting Glück's selected poems, in order to explore the profound significance of her poetry to the existential predicaments of modern people, and her new humanistic concern to the man in present society.The main body of this thesis is divided into three parts. The first chapter analyzes the solitariness in Glück poetry through the story of the creator and the ancestors of mankind. Jesus' birth can be seen as a kind of separation from his mother, and it means that he carries a nature of solitariness since his birth. The human ancestors Adam and Eve's Fall Myth also embodies that solitariness is the nature of man. Then, this thesis analyzes the new phenomenon of solitariness in Glück's poetry. Freedom has brought man independency and rationality, but also makes man isolated and lonely. Modern man's addiction to materials, power, cyber cultures, and his over relying on science and technology make him sink into the excessive “freedom” trap which drags him to a more lonely and helpless situation. Thirdly, this thesis points out that solitariness is a social character. Social character refers to the essential nucleus of the character structure of most members of a group. Glück's poetry reflects the separateness and anxiety of people in today's society which is brought by the conflicts between different religions. Aside from religious conflicts, nuclear weapons and the terrorist attacks have increased rapidly than many could have foreseen before. New anxieties have developed because of the threat of increasing death. Man feels helpless and humble when confronts with the expanding and inevitable death. This kind of powerless and separated feeling inspires man's feeling of solitariness wildly; therefore solitariness has become a kind of social character.Louise Glück discusses the old topic of solitariness from her unique perspective. Her poetry emphasizes that modern man should realize that solitariness is man's nature and be aware of his uniqueness and individuality. Man needs to advance to the full realization of positive freedom, develop his reason and find his identity, strive to achieve the greatest value of his life.