"Strong" poets successfully misread their predecessors; "weak" poets merely imitate them.
The poet "completes" the precursor’s work, suggesting the original didn't go far enough. Harold Bloom - The Anxiety of Influence. A Theo...
Eliot’s insistence on "impersonality" was a defensive reaction (Kenosis) against the Romantic focus on the self. "Strong" poets successfully misread their predecessors
The more history progresses, the harder it becomes for new writers to be "great." 🔍 Examples in Literature Harold Bloom - The Anxiety of Influence. A Theo...
Wordsworth "swerved" from Milton’s epic style to focus on the individual's internal nature.
A "swerve" away from the precursor, implying the original poem went wrong at a specific point.