Wallace Stevens in Context: (Literature in Context)

This book aims to provide an in-depth introduction to the multifaceted life and times of Wallace Stevens, who is generally considered one of the great twentieth-century American poets. In thirty-six short essays, an international team of distinguished scholars have created a comprehensive overview of Stevens' life and the world of his poetry. Individual chapters relate Stevens to important contexts such as the large Western movements of romanticism and modernism; particular American and European philosophical traditions; contemporary and later poets; the professional realms of law and insurance; the parallel art forms of painting, music, and theater; his publication history, critical reception, and his international reputation. Other chapters address topics of current interest such as war, politics, religion, race and the feminine. Informed by the latest developments in the field, but written in clear, jargon-free prose, Wallace Stevens in Context is an indispensable introduction to this great modern poet.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Places: 1. Reading, Pennsylvania Paul Mariani; 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts Milton Bates; 3. New York, New York Paul Mariani; 4. Hartford, Connecticut John N. Serio; 5. Florida Mark Scroggins; 6. France Juliette Utard; 7. The Orient Edward Ragg; Part II. Natural Contexts: 8. The seasons George S. Lensing; 9. Landscape Justin Quinn; Part III. Literary Contexts: 10. Romanticism Charles Mahoney; 11. Modernism Langdon Hammer; 12. Poetic contemporaries Lee M. Jenkins; 13. Later poets Al Filreis; 14. Stevens' library Chris Beyers; 15. Stevens' letters, notebooks, and journals Milton Bates; 16. Stevens' essays William Doreski; 17. Periodicals Craig Monk; 18. Critical reception John Timberman Newcomb; 19. International reputation Bart Eeckhout; Part IV. Other Arts: 20. The visual arts Glen MacLeod; 21. Music Lisa Goldfarb; 22. Theater Brenda Murphy; Part V. Intellectual Contexts: 23. American philosophy Rachel Malkin; 24. European philosophy Krzysztof Ziarek; 25. Aesthetics Charles Altieri; 26. Abstraction Edward Ragg; Part VI. Social, Cultural, and Political Contexts: 27. War Charles Berger; 28. Politics Patrick Redding; 29. Religion Tony Sharpe; 30. Race Rachel Galvin; 31. Law Lawrence Joseph; 32. Insurance Jason Puskar; 33. The exotic Stephen Burt; 34. The everyday Andrew Epstein; 35. The (inter)personal Roger Gilbert; 36. The feminine Lisa M. Steinman.

About the Author :
Glen MacLeod is Professor of English at the University of Connecticut. He is the author of Wallace Stevens and Company: The Harmonium Years, 1913-1923 (1983) and Wallace Stevens and Modern Art: From the Armory Show to Abstract Expressionism (1993). His work has been supported by fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the J. Paul Getty Foundation, the Huntington Library, the Boston Athenaeum, and other institutions. He is a member of the Editorial Board of The Wallace Stevens Journal and Vice President of the Wallace Stevens Society.

Review :
'Stevens will never be reduced to context. But in helping us see the ways he interacts with context, and in shifting lenses to gain a prismatic sense of this poet's range and complexity, Stevens in Context is indispensable.' Bonnie Costello, The Wallace Stevens Journal