Alienation in Merwin's Poetry
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Department of English
Abstract
William Stately Merwin's poetry exposes the grim futile human existential struggle which
heralds nothing except suffering, anxiety, despair and feeling of absurdity. The speakers heroically
accept and continue their struggle throughout his life in order to maintain the glory of his survival but at
the same time they embroil in the turmoil of violence, absurdity and the scarcity of life. Merwin's poetry
also reflects the grim picture of human life during and after the war when people were victimized by
restriction, suppression, domination, exploitation and over competition. Because of which characters
demonstrate the sweet passion and strong desire for survival and self identity even within the pang and
plight of life. Despite the characters' struggle for freedom and happiness they suffer from scarcity,
absurdity and nothingness which showers pain and suffering that ultimately lead them into the realm of
fragmentation, displacement and alienation.