James Merrill (1926-1995)

A selective list of online literary criticism for poet James Merrill, favoring signed articles by recognized scholars and articles published in peer-reviewed sources

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introduction

"James Merrill." An introduction to James Merrill, with articles and excerpts of reputable critical discussions on James Merrill's Life, Merrill's Language (On the Use of the Pun), on "An Urban Convalescence," on "The Broken Home," on "Lost in Translation," on "The Willowware Cup," "Replacing the Waste Land--James Merrill's Quest for Transcendent Authority," Merrill in Correspondence. Modern American Poetry (U of Illinois). Eds. Ryan Cull and Edward Brunner.

"James Merrill." An encyclopedia-type article on James Merrill, which helpfully notes Helen Vendler's remark that Merrill's best poems "are autobiographical without being 'confessional': they show none of that urgency to reveal the untellable or unspeakable that we associate with the poetry we call 'confessional.'" Poetry Foundation.

"James Merrill." A brief introduction to James Merrill. Academy of American Poets.

Burt, Stephen. "Becoming Literature: On James Merrill's poetry of autobiography and social comedy," Boston Review, Summer 2001.

Materer, Timothy. "James Merrill." A substantial introduction to James Merrill from the Literary Encyclopedia, 17 February 2005 [subscription service].

The James Merrill House in Stonington, Conn., and information on its writers-in-residence program.

main page | 20th-c literature | 20th-c poetry | formalist poets | about literaryhistory.com

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