(1) Contrast T. S. Eliot and Wallace Stevens in their depictions of post-Christian doubts about an afterlife in paradise. Cite lines that establish differences of opinion about the place of art as spiritual sustenance.
(2) Contrast John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” to Stevens’ “Anecdote of the Jar.” Summarize the difference between the romantic view and that of the modernist.
(3) Explain how Stevens’ obtuse “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” (1923) ponders varied perceptions of reality. Account for the bird’s lasting influence on the observer.
(4) Account for Stevens’ depiction of a moment of passionate confrontation with nature in “The Idea of Order at Key West.”
(5) After reading Stevens’ “Sunday Morning,” discuss the speaker’s attitude about God. Does the speaker ultimately believe that God exists?
(6) Discuss Stevens’ theme that death is an essential element of life. Cite passages in his poetry that support this view.
