32 pages • 1 hour read
Those Winter Sundays
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
"Middle Passage" by Robert Hayden (1962)
After “Those Winter Sundays,” “Middle Passage” is Hayden’s most critically analyzed and well-received poem. This poem, based on T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land,” is an epic modernist poem about the mutiny on the slave ship La Amistad in 1839. The poem is a notable example of Hayden’s mixture of free verse and form, and it also highlights Hayden’s treatment of African American history.
"Monet’s Waterlilies" by Robert Hayden (1970)
Another well-regarded Hayden poem, “Monet’s Waterlilies” is similar to “Those Winter Sundays” in that is does not focus on race or the history of African Americans in America. The poem is political in nature, though, as it comments on the issues of the day and defers to the power of art as a means of transcending and moving beyond societal issues. The poem provides another example of rhythmic free verse common in Hayden’s work.
"John 13: 1-17" and "Genesis 2: 1-2"
These are two noteworthy biblical passages. The passage from John recounts some of the final acts of Jesus—including the washing of the disciples’ feet. The passage highlights the historical and religious weight of servitude exemplified through the washing of feet—a concept echoed in “Those Winter Sundays” by the father polishing the son’s shoes. The passage from Genesis recounts God’s completion of creation and explains how on the seventh day, Sunday, God rested. The two passages help illustrate some of the subtle religious allusions Hayden’s poem makes.
Further Literary Resources
"Robert Hayden: “Those Winter Sundays"" by David Biespiel (2007)
This short literary review of “Those Winter Sundays” expands on some biographical information about Robert Hayden, helping readers get a better sense of how the poem relates to Hayden’s childhood. Biespiel performs a short literary analysis of the poem at the end of the article. In it, he says the poem defines unspoken love and establishes the requirements of the fatherly role. Biespiel believes the poem is Hayden’s best and that it is essential reading for any lover of poetry.
"Robert Hayden’s Detroit Blues Elegies" by Frank Rashid (2001)
Rashid analyzes Hayden’s later poetry, arguing that Hayden exemplifies the genres of blues and elegy. He connects Hayden’s poetry to his hometown of Detroit, claiming Hayden represents a quintessential African American poetic voice. Rashid believes Hayden’s blues elegies act as literary representations of the lost neighborhood of Paradise Valley.
The Spiritual Unity of Robert Hayden’s Angle of Ascent by William H. Hansell (1979)
In this analysis of Hayden’s 1975 collection of poems, Hansell dissects major themes in Hayden’s work: religion, art, and history. Hansell also contends Hayden’s poetry is unquestionably hopeful and spiritual, despite the tone of despair and sadness throughout. Hansell runs through a number of Hayden’s poems and finds the various historical, artistic, and religious themes and images in them.
Listen to Poem
Hayden reads “Those Winter Sundays” and introduces the poem with a short biographical note. Pay attention to the way he stresses certain words and lines, as well as the rhythm he uses to amplify the emotion of the words.
Unlock all 32 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 8,800+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
