Wallace Stevens balanced a dual existence, serving as a corporate insurance executive by day while refining his modernist verse during his private hours. Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1879, he spent the latter half of his life in Hartford, Connecticut, where he produced influential works that shifted the landscape of twentieth-century American literature through deep inquiry into reality and imagination.
Education and Early Career
Stevens attended Harvard University as a special student from 1897 to 1900, during which he served as president of The Harvard Advocate. Following a brief period working as a journalist in New York City, he enrolled in New York Law School, graduating in 1903. Between 1904 and 1907, he practiced law at several New York firms before transitioning into the insurance industry. In 1908, he joined the American Bonding Company, eventually becoming a vice president at the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company, a position he held for the remainder of his professional life.
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His literary output was divided into three distinct phases. The first, marked by the 1923 publication of Harmonium, introduced readers to pieces such as 'Sunday Morning' and 'Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird'. His second phase began with the 1933 release of Ideas of Order. By the time he published The Auroras of Autumn in 1950, his third phase was underway. His writing frequently addressed the mechanics of creativity, as seen in 'The Man with the Blue Guitar' and 'Notes Towards a Supreme Fiction'.
Personal Life and Recognition
In 1909, Stevens married Elsie Viola Kachel despite familial opposition. The couple had one daughter, Holly, born in 1924. Throughout his career, he maintained a conservative political outlook, often compared to the style of Robert A. Taft. His professional success in insurance allowed for financial independence, even during the Great Depression. Late in his life, his work gained significant formal recognition, culminating in the 1955 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his Collected Poems. He died later that year in Hartford and was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1879, Reading, Pennsylvania
- Died: 1955, Hartford, Connecticut
- Education: Harvard University and New York Law School
- Major Awards: Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1955), Bollingen Prize (1949)
- Professional Occupation: Insurance executive
- Notable Collection: Harmonium (1923)
- Burial Site: Cedar Hill Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Did Wallace Stevens work as a full-time poet?
No, he maintained a career as a lawyer and insurance executive, serving as a vice president for the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company.
What were his primary poetic influences?
During his time at Harvard, he was influenced by the philosopher George Santayana and his book Interpretations of Poetry and Religion.
Achievements
- Pulitzer Prize for Poetry — 1955
- Educated at New York Law School and Harvard University
- Worked as poet, journalist and writer
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