Robert Lowell
(1917–1977)

Robert Lowell was a member of one of the country's oldest and most prominent families. His ancestors included two noted American poets, James Russell Lowell and Amy Lowell. Considering his background, it is not surprising that he was one of the most history-conscious and influential poets of his time.

Born in Boston, Lowell attended Harvard University for two years, and then transferred to Kenyon College in Ohio, where he studied poetry under John Crowe Ransom. Lowell earned widespread recognition early in his career as a poet, winning a Pulitzer Prize for his collection, Lord Weary's Castle. Lowell often relied on traditional poetic forms and techniques. During the late 1950s, however, Lowell abandoned his early style and began writing freer, more direct poems. This change first became evident when he published Life Studies (1959), a collection of confessional poems—poems in which Lowell openly and frankly explored his own personal life. The book had a tremendous impact on the literary world, giving rise to a school of confessional poets that included Sylvia Plath, John Berryman, and Anne Sexton.

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