Marginality and Detachment in the Poetry of A. M. Klein

Abstract

<p>The following study deals with the published poetry of A. M. Klein. While on the surface, the poetry reflects a man who seems comfortable with his Jewish past and his present life as a Canadian living in Montreal, closer examination reveals that this poet is, in fact, marginal to much of his life. This study examines only this aspect of marginality as it is shown in Klein's poetry, and the Preface outline both the argument and its conclusion.</p> <p>The first chapter of this study focuses on marginality, which is defined as the state of being aware of an environment, but feeling apart from it. I show that Klein is marginal to the religious traditions of his ancestors, to many aspects of his life in Montreal, to Palestine, and to many of the expressions of contemporary Judaism.</p> <p>The second chapter concentrates on the poetic devices which Klein utilises to enable him to write about those areas of life to which his poetry shows that Klein felt marginal or that he found particularly painful. In the main, I note that Klein distances or detaches himself or his audience, using a variety of distancing techniques.</p> <p>Chapter III, the conclusion, discusses Klein's perception of his role as a poet and how this is reflected in his poetry.</p>