Helen of Troy and Other Poems

Sara Teasdale's 1911 poetry collection, Helen of Troy and Other Poems, is a masterful collection of lyric poems that explore life, romance, and the natural world. It contains monologue poems from figures such as Sappho, Beatrice, and Guenevere, as well as love poems and sonnets. Teasdale's Helen is a tragic figure who never asked for beauty but was the catalyst for Troy's destruction. This edition of the collection is a classic work of American poetry reimagined for modern readers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 114 pages
Publication date: 03 August 2021
Publisher: Graphic Arts Books

Sara Teasdale's 1911 poetry collection, Helen of Troy and Other Poems, is a masterful collection of lyric poems that explore themes of life, romance, and the natural world. The collection, published several years before Teasdale's Pulitzer Prize in 1918, showcases her poetic prowess and her ability to capture the essence of existence. The poems in the collection are characterized by a mix of somber and celebratory tones, symbolizing and grounded in experience. They revel in the mystery of existence itself, with lines such as "Wild flight on flight against the fading dawn / The flames' red wings soar upward duskily." Teasdale's portrayal of Helen of Troy is particularly intriguing. While she is often seen as a minor character, more an object of male desire than an autonomous subject in her own right, Teasdale refuses to follow the traditional template of poets, mostly men. Her Helen is meditative and intelligent, capable of immense sorrow and full-throated rage. She is portrayed as a tragic figure, a woman who never asked for beauty but was forced to bear the consequences of its allure. The collection also contains monologue poems from figures such as Sappho, Beatrice, and Guenevere, alongside a series of love poems and finely crafted sonnets. Teasdale's poetic language is elegant and evocative, and her use of symbolism and metaphor adds depth and richness to her work. The edition of Helen of Troy and Other Poems is beautifully designed, with a professionally typeset manuscript that enhances the reading experience. This collection is a testament to Sara Teasdale's talent as a poet and her ability to capture the essence of human experience in her words.

Weight: 136g
Dimension: 126 x 203 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781513295930