"I Knew A Woman" by Theodore Roethke

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the poet, Theodore Roethke, providing a brief background on him. One of his most discussed poems, "I Knew A Woman", is examined. The paper illustrates the striking sexual imagery used in the poem. The poet's style of writing is described, the rich metaphors, the symbolism, and the dual meanings. The paper outlines Roethke?s internal struggle toward mastery of the poetic arts, implying it was quite in keeping with the poet?s personality during his life.

From the Paper:

"Theodore Roethke was, above all, a great American poet?planted solidly in the tradition of Emerson, Thoreau, and Whitman. Indeed, much like Whitman, Roethke seemed to have an ability, perhaps gleaned from his intense love of nature, that allowed his poetry to communicate in a way that few poets ever imagine. Relatively speaking, Theodore Roethke was hardly a prolific writer by any means (his first book, Open House, published in 1941, took ten years to complete). However, the work he did produce was very well received. In fact his collection, The Waking garnered him the Pulitzer Prize in 1954 (Poets.org). Additionally, although he was first and foremost a poet, he was also a teacher, and he worked at colleges and universities from Vermont to Washington State (where he died in 1963)."

More papers on "I Knew A Woman" by Theodore Roethke:

• Analytical Essay # 31120 : "I Knew a Woman"
• Article Review # 117820 : "One is Not Born a Woman" By Monique Wittig"
• Poem Review # 127170 : "Poetry Journals"

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