Ezra Pound Essay, Research Paper

Ezra Pound

Ezra Pound was born in 1885 in Hailey, Idaho. He was considered one of the foremost American literary figures of the 20th century. Pound’s style was unlike any other poet during this time period. He wrote about ancient and modern history with his personal reflections and experience. In Pound’s poetry he tested many new forms of verses. Pound influenced young authors such as: James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, and Ernest Hemingway.

When Pound was 15 years old he had already decided that he wanted to be a poet. In 1901 Pound had decided to attend the University of Pennsylvania. After the two years he spent at the University of Pennsylvania, he transferred to Hamilton College in New York. After he graduated in 1905, he return to the University of Pennsylvania to attend graduated school. He finally earned his M.A. degree. Pound then moved to Indiana to teach at Wabash College.

Pound decided that the U.S. was no place for poets, so he moved to Venice, Italy. He published his first of his poetry here. After the publication he was convinced that London was “the place for poetry.” He supported himself by writing and teaching. He also worked for a couple of American based magazines.

The damage that was caused by World War I affected the opinion of Pound about the western world. Pound did not believed in capitalism and he search for a more compatible country for him. He first move to France and then back to Italy. As he settle into Italy, he believed that the dictator Benito Mussolini to be the savior of the world from capitalism. In 1933, he finally met Mussolini. Mussolini loved his work.

When the Allied troops invaded Italy in 1945 near the end of WWII, Pound was imprisoned for weeks and accused of treason. After he was transferred to a medical tent he wrote a some poetry describing the prison, its environment, and its inhabitants. These poems were some of the best poems he has ever written. In 1946 he was taken to Washington D.C. to tried for treason. He was declared legally insane and the case was dropped. He was sent to a mental hospital to get help. While in the mental hospital he won a few awards for his poetry. His case was strongly defended by some prominent poets including some of students. Pound was released from the hospital in 1958 and return to Italy. In his final years he stop writing and leaving some of his best work unfinished.