Joseph Brodsky Summary

Nobel Prize winner and fifth U.S. poet laureate, Russian-born Joseph Brodsky (born Iosif Alexandrovich Brodsky; 1940-1996) was imprisoned for his poetry in the former Soviet Union but was greatly hono... Read more

Critical Essay by Richard Lourie In the poetry written in Russia since Stalin's death, Vinokurov's transparent simplicity and Voznesensky's near incantations define one set of ex... Read more

Critical Essay by Byron Lindsey [Brodsky] is no doubt the most important name in contemporary Russian poetry, both at home and in emigration. It is no new reputation, but stems from the 1960s, when t... Read more

In the following essay, De Witt discusses Brodsky's appointment to U.S. poet laureate, focusing in particular on Brodsky's belief that poetry should be published much more widely. Sma... Read more

Tolstaya is a Russian writer. In the following tribule, she discusses Brodsky's impact on Russian writers and literature, stating "Russian literature … has lost the greatest poet ... Read more

In the following positive review of On Grief and Reason, Harris discusses Brodsky's views on poetry. An enigma strikes anyone who has read Russian literature and pondered Russia's his... Read more

In the positive review of On Grief and Reason below, Kenner praises the title essay of the collection, stating that it is "probably the best piece ever written on the poetry of Robert Frost.&#x... Read more

In the essay below, Streitfield discusses Brodsky's term as U.S. poet laureate, focusing in particular on the poet's disgruntlement with the lack of support for the position. Joseph B... Read more

In the following excerpt from a comparative review of Brodsky's Watermark, Tony Tanner's Venice Desired, and Christopher Prendergast's Paris and the Nineteenth Century, Bowie prai... Read more

In the positive review of Watermark below, Weisburg discusses Brodsky's metaphorical treatment of Venice. Since the publication of his 1986 collection Less Than One, Joseph Brodsky has conti... Read more

Below, Well discusses Brodsky's life, particularly his experiences in the former Soviet Union. Joseph Brodsky, 55, a poet exiled from the Soviet Union who went on to win the Nobel Prize for ... Read more