The Self and the World in the Poetry of Denise Levertov: A Study in Theme, Technique and the Development of Her Vision

Abstract

What the researcher considers outstanding and intriguing about Levertov is her profound humanism which informs her philosophy of life. Levertov who believes that the poet must have a philosophy or a "constellation of ideas and beliefs," is herself an example of a shrewd observer, an analyst and a philosopher. Her intense attention to life, her deep insightful look into all aspects of life, her profound interest in the self and the world and the relationship between them, all those elements, along with a keenness on discovery, have resulted in a maturing humanistic philosophy in life that deserves attention. Levertov views life essentially as a journey which we humans, brothers and sisters, are making. The journey is basically "a venture into the unknown"where the route keeps unfolding itself as we move onwards. We are therefore only pilgrims on a road discovering it, discovering our lives. It is interesting that though the road leads to death which is waiting for us at the end of the highroad of our lives, also at the end of "some highway of factual knowledge," the end of the journey still remains indefinite and the road is far from .I being a simple linear one. A sense of journey prevails through a great deal of Levertov's poetry but there is always the impression that it is an endless journey toward a mysterious end and the pilgrim-traveler seems to be worn out on an ever• winding road. Although the poet is aware of death as a concomitant of life, life is essentially sacred and not to be passed away in vain. Understanding life is the key to living it and living it involves experiencing every part of it. Levertov is afraid of dying without having understood and experienced her life. In one of her poems she writes: