William Carlos Williams's poetry reveals a deep connection with Pieter Bruegel the Elder's art, particularly in the ekphrastic poem 'Landscape with the Fall of Icarus'. This work explores themes of life's continuity and unnoticed tragedies, reflecting on the ordinary against mythic events. Williams's Modernist and Imagist approach emphasizes clear language and vivid imagery, mirroring Bruegel's focus on the everyday life of peasants and the natural world.
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Williams was a notable American poet and physician who was deeply inspired by the works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems
Williams's poetry collection, "Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems," includes the celebrated ekphrastic poem "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus."
Ekphrasis
Williams's poetry vividly depicts and contemplates Bruegel's paintings, exemplifying the literary device of ekphrasis
Williams's poetry, including "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," aligns with his Modernist and Imagist principles, prioritizing precise language and vivid imagery
Williams explores themes of life's persistence and the unnoticed tragedies that occur within it in his poem "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus."
Williams's poem reflects the composition of Bruegel's painting, utilizing a structure devoid of complexity and aligning with Modernist and Imagist principles
Both Bruegel's painting and Williams's poem focus on the portrayal of ordinary life and the elevation of the commonplace to the realm of art
In both the painting and the poem, the emphasis is shifted from the dramatic end of Icarus to the ongoing life that surrounds him
The ancient myth of Icarus, as told by the Roman poet Ovid, narrates the story of a young man who flies too close to the sun with wings of wax and feathers
The story of Icarus serves as a symbol for human overreach and its consequences
The Icarus myth forms the narrative backdrop for both Bruegel's painting and Williams's poem, emphasizing the theme of life's persistence
Williams utilizes enjambment to create a seamless, continuous narrative that mirrors the relentless march of life
Through juxtaposition, Williams accentuates the disparity between the lively setting and the insignificant demise of Icarus
The poem's detached and objective tone, along with its vivid imagery, reinforces the central message of life's indifference to individual misfortunes
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Professions of William Carlos Williams
American poet and physician
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Origin of Pieter Bruegel the Elder
Flemish Renaissance artist
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Publication and Award for Williams's Collection
1960 in The Hudson Review, Pulitzer Prize winner
