Poetic Affairs: Celan, Grünbein, Brodsky (Verbal Art: Studies in Poetics)

__Poetic Affairs__ deals with the complex and fascinating interface between literature and life through the prism of the lives and works of three outstanding poets: the German-Jewish poet and Holocaust survivor, Paul Celan (1920–1970); the Leningrad native, U.S. poet laureate, and Nobel Prize winner, Joseph Brodsky (1940–1996); and Germany's premier contemporary poet, Durs Grünbein (born 1962). Focusing on their poetic dialogues with such interlocutors as Shakespeare, Seneca, and Byron, respectively—veritable love affairs unfolding in and through poetry—Eskin offers unprecedented readings of Celan's, Brodsky's, and Grünbein's lives and works and discloses the ways in which poetry articulates and remains faithful to the manifold "truths"—historical, political, poetic, erotic—determining human existence.

Poetic Affairs deals with the complex and fascinating interface between literature and life through the prism of the lives and works of three outstanding poets: the German-Jewish poet and Holocaust survivor, Paul Celan (1920–1970); the Leningrad native, U.S. poet laureate, and Nobel Prize winner, Joseph Brodsky (1940–1996); and Germany's premier contemporary poet, Durs GrÃ1⁄4nbein (born 1962). Focusing on their poetic dialogues with such interlocutors as Shakespeare, Seneca, and Byron, respectively-veritable love affairs unfolding in and through poetry-Eskin offers unprecedented readings of Celan's, Brodsky's, and GrÃ1⁄4nbein's lives and works and discloses the ways in which poetry articulates and remains faithful to the manifold truths-historical, political, poetic, erotic-determining human existence.

"Poetic Affairs deals with the complex and fascinating interface between literature and life through the prism of the lives and works of three outstanding poets: the German-Jewish poet and Holocaust survivor, Paul Celan (1920-1970); the Leningrad native, U.S. poet laureate, and Nobel Prize winner, Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996); and Germany's premier contemporary poet, Durs Grunbein (born 1962). Focusing on their poetic dialogues with such interlocutors as Shakespeare, Seneca, and Byron, respectively - veritable love affairs unfolding in and through poetry - Eskin offers unprecedented readings of Celan's, Brodsky's, and Grunbein's lives and works and discloses the ways in which poetry articulates and remains faithful to the manifold "truths"--Historical, political, poetic, erotic - determining human existence."--Jacket Eskin deals with the complex interface between literature and life through the prism of the lives and works of three poets: the German-Jewish poet and Holocaust survivor, Paul Celan; the Leningrad native, U.S. poet laureate, and Nobel Prize winner, Joseph Brodsky; and Germany's premier contemporary poet, Durs Grünbein. Focussing on their poetic dialogues with such interlocutors as Shakespeare, Seneca, and Byron, respectively, the author offers readings of Celan's, Brodsky's, and Grünbein's lives and works, and discloses the ways in which poetry articulates and remains faithful to the manifold 'truths' determining human existence Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Prefatory Note 12 Introduction: On Poetry, Life, Method, and Sundry Affairs 16 1. Creative Fidelities 26 2. From Encounter to Tryst: Celan and Shakespeare 40 3. Metaphors of Subjectivity: Grünbein and the Philosophers 73 4. What’s in a Name? Brodsky and the English Muse 103 Closing Remarks 144 Appendix: Constellations 146 Notes 164 Bibliography 214 Index 242 Poetic Affairs deals with the complex and fascinating interface between literature and life through the prism of the lives and works of the German-Jewish poet and Holocaust survivor, Paul Celan (1920-70), the Leningrad native, US poet laureate, and Nobel Prize winner, Joseph Brodsky (1940-96), and the most significant contemporary German poet, Durs Grünbein (born 1962)