Abstract

May Sarton is not a real name, which is the pen name of Eleanore Marie Sarton (May 3, 1912-July 16, 1995). She was a renowned American poet, novelist, and memoirist. As a productive writer, Sarton wrote over twenty novels, twenty-five books of poetry and journals. She died in July, 1995, at the age of 83, and the journal At Eighty-Two was her last entry in which she both anticipated death and celebrated solitary life with the keen and unflinching perception that Sarton is still at her best.

This thesis tries to reveal Sarton’s fourth age solitude in her last journal At Eighty-Two. Chapter 1 mainly focuses on the background and relevant researches of May Sarton. In Chapter 2, the reason why Sarton chooses solitude as her way of life will be discussed. Meanwhile, the contradiction between loneliness and solitude in Sarton’s fourth age will also be discussed in this chapter. And on the basis of the aging theory, Chapter 3 tries to analyze the difference between Sarton’s solitude in her third age and fourth age. In Chapter 4, the approaches Sarton uses to overcome loneliness will be listed out. Finally, a brief summary will be made in Chapter 5, revealing the literary gerontology meaning for both the old and young generation. There are many readers of the same age sharing the same feeling. Reading this journal, people in advanced age would be inspired to find a new way to a golden age and those young readers would have an overall impression on the old people’s solitary life. This is the most practical significance to introduce Sarton’s works to more readers.

Keywords: solitude; fourth-age; loneliness; literary gerontology meaning

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Relevant Introduction of May Sarton’s Background-1

1.2 Reviewing the Research on May Sarton-2

1.3 Research Purpose and Structure-4

2. Solitude as a Way of Life-6

2.1 May Sarton’s Solitude-6

2.2 Solitude and Loneliness in Sarton’s Fourth Age-7

3. Aging in Solitude-9

3.1 The Aging Theory-9

3.2 Sarton’s Third Age Solitude-10

3.3 Sarton’s Fourth Age Solitude-11

4. The Approaches to Overcome Loneliness-13

4.1 Spending Time with Friends and the Cat-13

4.2 Reading and Writing-14

5. Conclusion-16

References-17