Critical Essays on James Merrill

This volume collects representative scholarship on the work of one of our most honoured contemporary poets. A selection of reviews provides a snapshot of Merrill’s critical reception; eight essays offer an introduction to Merrill’s life and work; and the introduction places Merrill’s career in literary, cultural, and critical contexts by means of an extended bibliographical narrative. This volume includes works by some of the finest contemporary poets and critics, including Mona Van Duyn, John Hollander, Stephen Yenser, Lynn Keller, and David Kalstone.