Transformative Rewriting Of Myths In Louise Gl(?)ck’s Poetry

Louise Glück(1943-)is a distinguished female poet in contemporary American literature,winner of the Nobel Prize 2020,the Pulitzer Prize for poetry(1993),and the National Book Award(2014).The language of her poems is simple and sound accompanied with austere emotion.One dominant reason of her achievements is ascribed to her transformative rewriting of myths in her poetry.Critics around the world are showing interest on Glück in recent years,however,previous studies upon her rewriting of myths focus too much on several famous poems,which makes systematic study wait o be di c ed.Thi he i hen in end o cla if he re ri ing of m h in Gl ck poetry,trying to analyze its way of transformative rewriting and to investigate the subjects in the revision,which would help readers understand the contemporary significance in Gl ck poe r.The thesis starts with the definition of myth,trying to classify the myths in Gl ck poetry and exploring the reasons for rewriting.In this thesis,the definition of myth is guided under Abrams explanation.The classification is divided into three catalogs as origin myth,nature myth,and hero myth according to the motifs and subjects in Gl ck s rewriting of myths.Besides,Gl ck preference of rewriting the myths can be ascribe to her family education,influential poets and her own personal experience.The thesis continues to deal with Gl ck rewriting into writing in a detailed interpretation.Gl ck s origin myth investigates the jealous God and the myth about newborn.Her nature myth manifests the story behind the season and the survival after the flood.The hero myth delves into the human-like hero and the modern successor.From the analysis of Gl ck s transformative rewriting of myth,her value of myth is transmitted,shaping into the consideration such as love,death,trauma,and feminism.Her rewriting combines her personal experience with the classical myth which is the embodiment of the collective awareness early from the ancient times.Her way of merging and adaption thus renders her poetry unique voice that is personal experience and universal values at the same time.