The Art of Twentieth-Century American Poetry - Modernism and After - An Introduction

Sep 21, 2026

A critical introduction to twentieth-century American poetry, tracing major modernist movements and the shift toward post-modernist responses. Charles Altieri frames poetic practice as complex acts of thinking and feeling, offering an overview of key authors and debates about realism, impersonality, rhetoric, and poetics. The book structures its argument through focused chapters on Pound and Williams, Eliot/Loy/Moore, renewal efforts by Williams/Oppen/Hughes, and the return to rhetoric with Stevens and Auden, supported by notes, works cited, and an index.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages266

Reading Time6 h 50 min

AccessFree to download

Preface and Acknowledgments

List of Abbreviations

Introduction: The Art of Twentieth-Century American Poetry: An Overview

The New Realism in Modernist Poetry: Pound and Williams

The Doctrine of Impersonality and Modernism’s War on Rhetoric: Eliot, Loy, and Moore

How Modernist Poetics Failed and Efforts at Renewal: Williams, Oppen, and Hughes

The Return to Rhetoric in Modernist Poetry: Stevens and Auden

Modernist Dilemmas and Early Post-Modernist Responses

Notes

Works Cited

Further Reading

Index

The Art of TwentiethCentury American Poetry Modernism and After Charles Altieri The Art of Twentieth-Century American Poetry Blackwell Introductions to Literature This series sets out to provide concise and stimulating introductions to literary subjects. It offers books on major authors (from John Milton to James Joyce), as well as key periods and movements (from Old English literature to the contemporary) . Coverage is also afforded to such specific topics as “Arthurian Romance.” All are written by outstanding scholars as texts to inspire newcomers and others: non-specialists wishing to revisit a topic, or general readers. The prospective overall aim is to ground and prepare students and readers of whatever kind in their pursuit of wider reading. Published 1. John Milton 2. Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales 3. Arthurian Romance 4. James Joyce 5. Mark Twain 6. The Modern Novel 7. Old Norse–Icelandic Literature 8. Old English Literature 9. Modernism 10. Latin American Fiction 11. Re-Scripting Walt Whitman 12. Renaissance and Reformations 13. The Art of Twentieth-Century American Poetry Roy Flannagan John Hirsh Derek Pearsall Michael Seidel Stephen Railton Jesse Matz Heather O’Donoghue Daniel Donoghue David Ayers Philip Swanson Ed Folsom and Kenneth M. Price Michael Hattaway Charles Altieri Forthcoming American Drama 1945–2000 American Literature and Culture 1900–1960 Shakespeare’s Sonnets Middle English David Krasner Gail McDonald Dympna Callaghan Thorlac Turville-Petre The Art of TwentiethCentury American Poetry Modernism and After Charles Altieri © 2006 by Charles Altieri BLACKWELL PUBLISHING 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of Charles Altieri to be identiﬁed as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. First published 2006 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd 1 2006 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Altieri, Charles, 1942– The art of twentieth-century American poetry : modernism and after / Charles Altieri. [p. cm](p. cm).—(Blackwell introductions to literature) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-2106-4 (hard cover : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-4051-2106-8 (hard cover : alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-2107-1 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-4051-2107-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1 . American poetry— 20th century—History and criticism. 2. Modernism (Literature)—United States. I. Title. II. Series. PS310 .M57A577 2006 811′. 509112—dc22 2005012328 A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Set in 10/13pt Meridien by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong Printed and bound in India by Replika Press Pvt. Ltd, Kundli The publisher’s policy is to use permanent paper from mills that operate a sustainable forestry policy, and which has been manufactured from pulp processed using acid-free and elementary chlorine-free practices. Furthermore, the publisher ensures that the text paper and cover board used have met acceptable environmental accreditation standards. For further information on Blackwell Publishing, visit our website: [www.blackwellpublishing.com](www.blackwellpublishing.com) Contents Preface and Acknowledgments vi List of Abbreviations x 1 Introduction: The Art of Twentieth-Century American Poetry: An Overview 1 2 The New Realism in Modernist Poetry: Pound and Williams 11 3 The Doctrine of Impersonality and Modernism’s War on Rhetoric: Eliot, Loy, and Moore

FAQs

What is the central focus of the book?

The book provides a structured critical introduction to twentieth-century American poetry, centered on modernism and its aftermath, with attention to how poetic forms reflect thinking and feeling.

Which authors and movements are discussed?

Key discussions include Pound and Williams, Eliot, Loy, and Moore, renewal efforts by Williams, Oppen, and Hughes, and a return to rhetoric with Stevens and Auden.

How is the argument organized?

The contents are arranged as sequential chapters moving from an overview through specific thematic debates in modernist poetics, followed by notes, works cited, further reading, and an index.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Clementine