Confessionalism in Poetry: An Introduction

1. Introduction

Confessionalism is a style of poetry that developed in the second half of the XX century. This type of poetry is characterized by deep personal emotions and experinces. The main difference between confessional poetry and traditional lyrical poetry is honesty beyond personal embarrassment.

2. What is Confessionalism?

The term «confessionalism» was firstly introduced by M.H. Abrams in his book «The Norton Anthology of English Literature» in 1963. He defined confessional poetry as «a mode of expression that combines frankness about intimate and even shameful matters with searching self-revelation, in an attempt to come to grips with anguish and guilt» (Abrams, 1963).

Confessional poets often write about such topics as mental illness, suicide, sexual abuse, incest, and other taboo subjects. This type of poetry is highly autobiographical and sometimes may even border on narcissism.

The main representatives of confessionalism are Ann Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, and Billy Collins. Their poems are filled with deep emotions and personal experiences.

3. The Difference between Confessional Poetry and Traditional Lyrical Poetry

The main difference between confessional poetry and traditional lyrical poetry is honesty beyond personal embarrassment. Confessional poets often write about such taboo topics as mental illness, suicide, sexual abuse, incest, etc. They are not afraid to reveal their deepest secrets and feelings. In contrast, traditional lyric poets usually avoid writing about such dark subjects. They prefer to focus on more pleasant topics such as love, nature, beauty, etc.

4. Famous Confessional Poets

Ann Sexton (1928-1974) was one of the most famous confessional poets of the XX century. Her poems are based on her own life experiences and deal with such taboo subjects as mental illness, suicide, sexuality, etc. Sexton was suffering from depression all her life and eventually committed suicide at the age of 45.

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) is another well-known confessional poetess. Her poems are characterized by intense emotionality and deep psychological insight. Plath also suffered from depression and committed suicide at the age of 30 by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Robert Lowell (1917-1977) was another important representative of confessionalism. His poems deal with such topics as mental illness, family relationships, religion, etc. Lowell also suffered from bipolar disorder and had several hospitalizations during his lifetime.

Billy Collins (b. 1941) is a contemporary American poet who often uses humor in his poems. His work deals with such topics as love, death, language, art, etc. Although Collins is not as dark as other confessional poets, he still belongs to this movement due to his use of humor and lighthearted approach to serious subjects.

5. Conclusion

Confessionalism is a style of poetry that developed in the second half of the XX century. This type of poetry is characterized by deep personal emotions and experinces. The main difference between confessional poetry and traditional lyrical poetry is honesty beyond personal embarrassment. Famous representatives of confessionalism are Ann Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, and Billy Collins.

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