Significant Insights and Analysis of Philosophical and Autobiographical Undertones in the Select Poems of Louise Gluck

Abstract

The 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature was given to American poet Louise Gluck in recognition of her "unmistakable poetic voice that, with austere beauty, makes individual existence universal." This thesis explores Gluck‘s poetic work, particularly her 2014 poem "Faithful and Virtuous Night," using the motivation of the Nobel committee as a guiding premise. Thus, the purpose of the research paper poses certain research question—"How does Louise Gluck‘s poetry make individual existence universal?—is to evaluate the fairness of the Nobel committee's evaluation. The reader becomes familiar with the essence of Gluck‘s poetry by reading scholarly articles about the innovations in her earlier work. An analysis of the aforementioned poem that supports the Nobel committee's claim can be built through careful reading. Some of her best-known works include Ararat (1990), The Wild Iris (1992), Meadowlands (1996), Vita Nova (1999), The Seven Ages (2001), and Averno (2006), in which elements of the lyric and the verse novel are consistently negotiated. The poet's themes, sparse, lyric style, and detached, oracular tone have all been the only things mentioned by critics so far. The collections have never been examined by critics as plotted narratives or verse novels. Books by Gluck contain more than just groups of standalone, lyric poems. The six collections are cohesively linked by a sustained, personal journey about survival, emotional healing, and self-renewal in which Gluck is looking for beauty and meaning in a life without the consolation of absolute truths. Each collection is also bound by a plot that depicts a particular period in the poet's life. Additionally, it is a poetic journey that acts as a metaphorical mirror for the reader's own parallel, personal experiences. As a result, readers may be able to learn from the poet's hard-learned lessons, apply them to their own situations, and perhaps even find emotional healing. This essay aims to demonstrate Gluck‘s methods for dealing with various human concerns while also offering solutions.