Beyond the Alps
Encyclopedia
'Beyond the Alps' is a poem by Robert Lowell
.
According the Saskia Hamilton
, the editor of Lowell's Letters, Lowell wrote the original version of the poem in 1952.
The poem was inspired by a trip to Europe that he took with his second wife Elizabeth Hardwick
. It documents his journey, by train, through the Alps, from Rome to Paris in 1950 and captures his feelings towards his waning faith in Catholicism. Evidence of this interpretation can be heard at Lowell's 1963 poetry reading at the Guggenheim Museum, when he introduced his reading of "Beyond the Alps" by stating that, "[the poem was] a declaration of my faith or lack of faith." He has stated that "the poem is about people who go beyond nature... Mussolini
or the Pope
.... What [the poem] means theologically, I think, is impenetrable."
The poem begins Lowell's Life Studies
and this is significant because it marks a break from his previous books which were written while Lowell was much more serious, even fervent, about his Catholic faith (and a recent convert as well).
(1959) in which two major stanzas were removed. However, Lowell was still not satisfied with the poem and republished it one more time, with slight revisions, in For the Union Dead
(1964).
The main difference between the version of the poem in Life Studies and the one in For the Union Dead, is the re-introduction of a stanza from the magazine version that begins, "I thought of Ovid." Lowell stated in an "Introductory Note" to For the Union Dead, that he "restored [the stanza] at the suggestion of John Berryman
."
There are also additional minor differences between the two book versions of the poem. For instance, "Life changed to landscape" becomes "Man changed to landscape." Lowell also made minor changes in punctuation.
The editors of the Collected Poems note that Lowell's poem "Ovid and Caesar's Daughter," from his book History, "is a revision of stanza three [from the version of "Beyond the Alps" in For the Union Dead]".
Robert Lowell
Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV was an American poet, considered the founder of the confessional poetry movement. He was appointed the sixth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress where he served from 1947 until 1948...
.
According the Saskia Hamilton
Saskia Hamilton
Saskia Hamilton is an American poet. She graduated from Kenyon College with a B.A., and from New York University with an M.A. She worked for the Folger Shakespeare Library, and the Lannan Foundation...
, the editor of Lowell's Letters, Lowell wrote the original version of the poem in 1952.
The poem was inspired by a trip to Europe that he took with his second wife Elizabeth Hardwick
Elizabeth Hardwick
Elizabeth Hardwick was an American literary critic, novelist, and short story writer. -Life:Hardwick was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1939...
. It documents his journey, by train, through the Alps, from Rome to Paris in 1950 and captures his feelings towards his waning faith in Catholicism. Evidence of this interpretation can be heard at Lowell's 1963 poetry reading at the Guggenheim Museum, when he introduced his reading of "Beyond the Alps" by stating that, "[the poem was] a declaration of my faith or lack of faith." He has stated that "the poem is about people who go beyond nature... Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
or the Pope
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
.... What [the poem] means theologically, I think, is impenetrable."
The poem begins Lowell's Life Studies
Life Studies
Life Studies is the fourth book of poems by Robert Lowell. Most critics consider it one of Lowell's most important books, and the Academy of American Poets named it one of their Groundbreaking Books. The book won the National Book Award for poetry in 1960.-Publication:Life Studies was first...
and this is significant because it marks a break from his previous books which were written while Lowell was much more serious, even fervent, about his Catholic faith (and a recent convert as well).
Multiple versions
Lowell published three different versions of this poem. The poem originally appeared in Kenyon Review in 1953. Then, Lowell published a significantly revised version in his book, Life StudiesLife Studies
Life Studies is the fourth book of poems by Robert Lowell. Most critics consider it one of Lowell's most important books, and the Academy of American Poets named it one of their Groundbreaking Books. The book won the National Book Award for poetry in 1960.-Publication:Life Studies was first...
(1959) in which two major stanzas were removed. However, Lowell was still not satisfied with the poem and republished it one more time, with slight revisions, in For the Union Dead
For the Union Dead
For the Union Dead is a book of poems by Robert Lowell that was published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1964. It was Lowell's sixth book.Notable poems from the collection include "Beyond the Alps'" , "Water," "The Old Flame," "The Public Garden" and the title poem, which is one of Lowell's...
(1964).
The main difference between the version of the poem in Life Studies and the one in For the Union Dead, is the re-introduction of a stanza from the magazine version that begins, "I thought of Ovid." Lowell stated in an "Introductory Note" to For the Union Dead, that he "restored [the stanza] at the suggestion of John Berryman
John Berryman
John Allyn Berryman was an American poet and scholar, born in McAlester, Oklahoma. He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and was considered a key figure in the Confessional school of poetry...
."
There are also additional minor differences between the two book versions of the poem. For instance, "Life changed to landscape" becomes "Man changed to landscape." Lowell also made minor changes in punctuation.
The editors of the Collected Poems note that Lowell's poem "Ovid and Caesar's Daughter," from his book History, "is a revision of stanza three [from the version of "Beyond the Alps" in For the Union Dead]".
Cultural references
Lowell refers to:- Pope Pius XIIPope Pius XIIThe Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
and his defining the dogma of Mary's bodily assumptionMunificentissimus DeusMunificentissimus Deus is the name of an Apostolic constitution written by Pope Pius XII. It defines ex cathedra the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was the first ex-cathedra infallible statement since the official ruling on papal infallibility was made at the First Vatican...
(declared November 1950). - A Swiss attempt to climb Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
(attempts actually made in May 1952 & the autumn of 1952 by Raymond LambertRaymond LambertRaymond Lambert was a Swiss mountaineer, who with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached an altitude of 8611 metres of Mount Everest in May 1952. At the time it was the highest point that a climber had ever reached...
). - Benito MussoliniBenito MussoliniBenito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, 'The Duce' - The golden boughThe Golden Bough (mythology)The Golden Bough is one of the episodic tales written in the epic Aeneid, book VI, by ancient Roman poet Vergil , which narrates the adventures of the Trojan hero Aeneas after the Trojan War.-Story:...
that AeneasAeneasAeneas , in Greco-Roman mythology, was a Trojan hero, the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. His father was the second cousin of King Priam of Troy, making Aeneas Priam's second cousin, once removed. The journey of Aeneas from Troy , which led to the founding a hamlet south of...
used to ensure safe passage through the underworld. - OvidOvidPublius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
- MinervaMinervaMinerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
who was born from the head of ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
.