3 American Poets: Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Maya Angelou

1056 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Introduction to analyzing poetry

3 American Poets- Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Maya Angelou

Poetry as a literally work in which the expression of ideas and feelings is given strength has had great authors overtime who took different perspectives in this genre of literature. These poets used distinctive rhythm and style to express their styles, poetic themes, outlook on life, and had their share of influence on the American society. This paper uses the basis of these styles, themes, outlook on life and subsequent influence on the American society to compare three prolific poets who ventured into this literature genre: Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Maya Angelou. Robert Frost (1874-1963) holds a unique and almost sole position in the career span which mostly encompasses the modern period. Mary Oliver (born 10 September, 1935) is a poet credited with winning the Pulitzer and National Book Award. Maya Angelou (born 4 April, 1928) on the other hand is both an author and poet, who has published several poetry books, three essay books, and seven bibliographies (Angelou, Edwin Graves Wilson & Jerome, 2007).

Comparison by Poetry Styles

Frost endeavored to approximate his poetry style to take a form of a conversation, whereby the verses in his poems were aimed at restoring sounds that underlie the words and enhance meaning through a vocal gesture. The style Frost used emphasized that his ear must be sensitive to his voice so as to capture with the word that is written the significance of sound in word that is spoken, (Frost, 1986). “The Death of the Hired Man” for example consists a dialogue almost as a whole between Warren the farmer husband and Mary his wife, an instance is, “‘when was I ever anything but kind to him? But I’ll not have the fellow back,’ he said.” M...

... middle of paper ...

...and more importantly language.

Works Cited

Angelou, Maya, Edwin Graves Wilson, and Jerome Lagarrigue. Maya Angelou. New York: Sterling, 2007. Print.

Frost, Robert. Collected poems of Robert Frost. Cutchogue, N.Y.: Buccaneer Books, 1986. Print.

Homepage poetry foundation: Robert Frost. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/robert-frost on 15 April, 2014

Homepage poetry foundation: Mary Oliver. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/mary-oliver on 15 April, 2014

Homepage poetry foundation: Maya Angelou. Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/maya-angelou on 15 April, 2014

Oliver, Mary. Why I wake early: new poems. Boston: Beacon Press, 2004. Print.

Robert Frost: approach to life and appearances retrieved from http://famous-relationships.topsynergy.com/Robert_Frost/Attitude.asp on 15 April 15, 2014

Show More
Related

  • Maya Angelou

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    Anderson, John . Blooms bio Critiques Maya Angelo .bloom hall Pa, chelas house publishing's, 2002.

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography Of Maya Angelou

    2111 Words  | 5 Pages

    "Angelou, Maya (née Marguerite Annie Johnson)." Encyclopedia of African-american Writing. Amenia: Grey House Publishing, 2009. Credo Reference. Web. 12 March 2014.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou Accomplishments

    1716 Words  | 4 Pages

    The inspirational Marguerite Ann Johnson, better known as Ms. Maya Angelo was born on April 4, 1928 to her parents Bailey and Vivian Baxter Johnson. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya’s parents soon divorced when she was only three years old, resulting in her and her brother Bailey Johnson Jr. moving and staying with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. (Change-maker in black history: Maya Angelou). Her grandmother Annie Henderson was one of the most important, a pious woman who ran a general store in Stamps, Arkansas. (Moore, 1) Young Maya often dreamed about being a pretty little white girl and how she wished her hair was transitioned from her nappy roots to long, silky blonde. Her grandmother however instilled the importance of being proud of your race. Living during this time it was very common to want a better life of course, but this was one of the first known racial encounter Maya faced. Upon moving back to her mother at the age of eight, tragically, Ms. Angelou was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. Revealing her rapist resulted in her uncles taking matters in to their own hands, which also resulted in the death of her mother’s boyfriend. By acknowledging the power of her tongue, this tragic encountered her to go mute for about five years. (Global Renaissance Woman) Mrs. Bertha Flowers was who was acknowledged and worked with Maya to speak again at the age of thirteen.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou: An Example of Perseverance

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...elly Holland. "Maya Angelou." Maya Angelou. University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 1998. Web. 06 May 2014.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou!

    1917 Words  | 4 Pages

    Angelou, Maya, Edwin Graves. Wilson, and Jerome Lagarrigue. Maya Angelou. New York: Sterling, 2007. Print.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Maya Angelou was one of America’s greatest writers in history.  She was known for her many writings and for her part in Civil Rights Movements. Maya Angelou went through many hardships during her childhood, the most prevalent of those, racism over her skin color. This racism affected where she grew up, where she went to school, even where she got a job. “My education and that of my Black associates were quite different from the education of our white schoolmates. In the classroom we all learned past participles, but in the streets and in our homes the Blacks learned to drops s’s from plurals and suffixes from past tense verbs.” (Angelou 221) Maya Angelou was a strong believer in a good education and many of those beliefs were described in her

    Read More

  • Biography Of Maya Angelou

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    Moore, Lucinda. "A Conversation with Maya Angelou at 75." Smithsonian Magazine. Apr. 2003. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. .

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou: The Strength of the Human Spirit

    1752 Words  | 4 Pages

    Angelou, Maya, Diego Rivera, and Linda Sunshine. Still I Rise. New York: Random House, 2001. Print.

    Read More

  • Maya Angelou and Alice Walker

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    Two well regarded and recognized poets, Maya Angelou and Alice Walker, wrote lots of different renowned poetry that is appreciated for its beauty and its truth. Both poets are African American woman, although in different times, many of their words rang true to one other. Their work can be compared and contrasted by understanding the poems as two separate pieces of work, and then looking at how each are similar and different in their own respects.

    Read More

  • A Biography: A Biographical Biography Of Maya Angelou

    639 Words  | 2 Pages

    Angelou, Maya. "Welcome to Maya Angelou’s Official Site." Maya Angelou. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2014. .

    Read More

  • Robert Frost's Poem For Once, Then, Something

    1474 Words  | 3 Pages

    The poem’s diction is fairly simple so that educated and uneducated people alike would be able to read and understand the poem somewhat easily. Because Frost prided himself upon being accessible and relatable to all people,

    Read More

  • The Struggles in Maya Angelou's Life

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hanford, Mary. Maya Angelou. New Jersey: Salem, 2006. Literary Reference Center. Web. 8 Apr. 2014. .

    Read More

  • The Psychology of Robert Frost’s Nature Poetry

    3049 Words  | 7 Pages

    Bloom, Harold, ed. Modern Critical Views; Robert Frost First Edition, New York et al, Chelsea House Pub., 1986.

    Read More

  • Nature in Robert Frost's Poems

    1636 Words  | 4 Pages

    strengthens his viewpoint and regards Frost as ―one of the most intuitive poets [. . . h]e sees

    Read More

  • The Dark Side of Robert Frost’s Nature

    2355 Words  | 5 Pages

    Frost, Robert, and Robert Faggen. The Notebooks of Robert Frost. Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2006. Print.

    Read More

More about 3 American Poets: Robert Frost, Mary Oliver, and Maya Angelou

Open Document