Randall Jarrell
Randall Jarrell – Life, Poetry & Critical Legacy
Discover the life, works, and impact of Randall Jarrell (1914–1965), an American poet, critic, novelist, and teacher. Trace his early years, wartime influence, key works, and enduring voice in 20th-century literature.
Introduction
Randall Jarrell (May 6, 1914 – October 14, 1965) was an American poet, literary critic, children’s author, essayist, and novelist.
He is known both for his evocative poetry about human vulnerability, war, and daily life, and for his sharp, influential criticism of fellow poets.
From his war service to his academic roles, Jarrell’s life was interwoven with the tensions of creation, critique, and human fragility.
Early Life & Education
Jarrell was born in Nashville, Tennessee on May 6, 1914.
As a young man, he spent time with his grandparents in Los Angeles—an experience he would later explore in poetry, especially in “The Lost World.”
He attended Hume-Fogg High School in Nashville, where he began publishing satirical and critical essays in school magazines, played tennis, and acted in school productions.
He then enrolled at Vanderbilt University, where he earned his B.A. (magna cum laude) in 1935 and later his M.A. in English (1937) with a thesis on A. E. Housman.
Some of his mentors at Vanderbilt included Robert Penn Warren, Allen Tate, and John Crowe Ransom.
When Ransom moved to Kenyon College, Jarrell followed and taught composition, coached tennis, and lived among a circle of emerging writers including Robert Lowell.
Wartime Service & Early Literary Breakthrough
From 1939 to 1942, Jarrell taught at University of Texas at Austin, where he began publishing criticism and poetry, and met his first wife, Mackie Langham.
In 1942, he left academia to join the U.S. Army Air Forces. In the military, he served as a flying cadet and later as a celestial navigation tower operator—an experience that deeply influenced his poetry.
His wartime role informed his early poetic voice, especially in poems dealing with combat, loss, existential risk, and human fragility.
While still in service, in 1945, Jarrell published Little Friend, Little Friend, a collection reflecting soldiers’ fears and moral struggles.
One of his most cited poems, “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner”, reflects a stark, haunting image of a gunner in a bomber’s ball turret.
Academic, Critical & Later Literary Career
After the war, Jarrell held teaching roles—at Sarah Lawrence College (for a year), then at the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina, where he taught modern poetry and creative writing.
He divorced his first wife and in 1952 married Mary von Schrader Jarrell.
In 1956, he was appointed Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress (what later became the title Poet Laureate).
As a literary critic, Jarrell became renowned for his clear, often cutting evaluations. He helped to rehabilitate and promote authors such as Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, and William Carlos Williams.
His 1953 critical collection Poetry and the Age includes essays on Frost, Whitman, Moore, Auden, and others, and remains influential.
In 1960, his poetry collection The Woman at the Washington Zoo won the National Book Award.
His final book of poems, The Lost World (1965), continued his distinctive voice and remains a central work in his canon.
He also wrote a satirical novel, Pictures from an Institution (1954), drawing on academic life, and children’s books such as The Bat-Poet and The Animal Family.
Style, Themes & Literary Significance
Jarrell’s poetry is marked by:
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Clarity, emotional directness, conversational tone — he often infused poems with speech rhythms and psychological immediacy.
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War and mortality — his experiences in WWII gave rise to poems that confront violence, vulnerability, and death.
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Loneliness, alienation, and human fragility — many of his later works turn inward, grappling with aging, identity, and existential doubt.
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Characters, empathy, and dramatic monologues — he often wrote in the voice of others (women, children, outsiders), exploring inner lives with compassion.
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Mixed influence of Modernism and Romanticism — in his mature work he drew upon Romantic notions (memory, speech, interior life) while retaining a modernist edge.
Critics often describe Jarrell as bridging the gap between technical mastery and emotional resonance.
Personal Struggles & Death
In his later years, Jarrell’s mental health deteriorated. In 1963, following the assassination of President Kennedy and growing anxieties about aging, he experienced depression and underwent psychiatric treatment.
He reportedly attempted self-harm, and was hospitalized.
On October 14, 1965, Jarrell was walking near Chapel Hill, North Carolina when he was struck by a car and killed. His death was officially ruled an accident, although some close to him suspected it may have been suicide.
He was 51 years old.
Selected Works & Notable Poems
Some of Jarrell’s key works include:
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Blood for a Stranger (1942)
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Little Friend, Little Friend (1945)
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Losses (1948)
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The Seven-League Crutches (1951)
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Selected Poems (1955)
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The Woman at the Washington Zoo (1960) – winner of National Book Award
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The Lost World (1965)
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Pictures from an Institution (novel, 1954)
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Children’s works: The Bat-Poet, The Animal Family
His most frequently anthologized poem: “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” — stark, compressed, visceral.
Legacy & Influence
Randall Jarrell is considered one of the most insightful poet-critics of mid-20th century America.
He is credited with revitalizing the reputations of poets such as Robert Frost, Walt Whitman, and William Carlos Williams through his criticism.
His work continues to be read for its psychological depth, moral seriousness, and the interplay between voice and vulnerability.
Memorials and markers honor his life in Nashville (Hume-Fogg High School) and in North Carolina.
Lessons from Jarrell’s Life & Work
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Speak with vulnerability — Jarrell shows how honesty about suffering, doubt, and fear can become potent poetic fuel.
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Criticism as art — his essays demonstrate that one can be rigorous, generous, and imaginative in evaluating others’ work.
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The weight of experience — lived experience (war, aging, loss) can deepen, not limit, poetic vision.
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Write beyond your “self” — his use of other voices (women, children, outsiders) expands empathy and poetic range.
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Fragility and dignity — amidst depression and personal struggle, Jarrell’s work affirms that art can hold pain with grace.