How did Confessional Poetry differ from the kind of poetry that was written in the early decades or the twentieth century? (MEG 102) (SYLVIA PLATH AND CONFESSIONAL POETRY)

Confessional Poetry is a type of poetry that emerged in the 1950s and 60s, and is characterized by its highly personal and autobiographical content. It differs from the kind of poetry that was written in the early decades of the twentieth century in several ways.

Firstly, Confessional Poetry is marked by its frank and often explicit depiction of the poet's personal experiences, emotions, and psychological states. This was a departure from the more abstract and impersonal style of modernist poetry that preceded it. Confessional poets such as Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, and Robert Lowell often wrote about taboo subjects such as mental illness, sexuality, and personal trauma, and used confessional poetry as a way of exploring their own inner lives.

Secondly, Confessional Poetry is characterized by a focus on the self, rather than on larger social or political issues. Modernist poets such as T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats were concerned with the state of the world around them, and used their poetry to critique and engage with contemporary culture. Confessional poets, on the other hand, were more interested in exploring their own subjective experiences and emotions, and often used their poetry as a form of therapy or self-expression.

Finally, Confessional Poetry is marked by a rejection of traditional poetic form and structure. While modernist poets experimented with form and language, they still adhered to traditional poetic conventions such as meter, rhyme, and line length. Confessional poets, however, often eschewed these conventions, instead opting for free verse and a more conversational, naturalistic style.

Overall, Confessional Poetry represented a significant departure from the poetry that preceded it, and marked a new era of self-expression and emotional honesty in American literature.