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Theodore Roethke (Theodore Huebner Roethke) was born on 25 May, 1908 in Saginaw, Michigan, U.S., is a Pulitzer Prize winning American poet (1908–1963). Discover Theodore Roethke's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 55 years old?

Popular As Theodore Huebner Roethke
Occupation Teacher poet author
Age 55 years old
Zodiac Sign Gemini
Born 25 May, 1908
Birthday 25 May
Birthplace Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Date of death 1 August, 1963
Died Place Bainbridge Island, Washington, U.S.
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 25 May. He is a member of famous poet with the age 55 years old group.

Theodore Roethke Height, Weight & Measurements

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Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

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Theodore Roethke Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Theodore Roethke worth at the age of 55 years old? Theodore Roethke’s income source is mostly from being a successful poet. He is from United States. We have estimated Theodore Roethke's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
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Timeline

1908

Theodore Huebner Roethke (May 25, 1908 – August 1, 1963) was an American poet.

Theodore Roethke (1908–1963) wrote of his poetry: The greenhouse "is my symbol for the whole of life, a womb, a heaven-on-earth."

1923

In early 1923 when Roethke was 14 years old, his uncle committed suicide and his father died of cancer.

Roethke noted that these events affected him deeply and influenced his work.

1929

Roethke attended the University of Michigan, earning a B.A. magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa in 1929.

1936

He continued on at Michigan to receive an M.A. in English in 1936.

He briefly attended the University of Michigan School of Law before resuming his graduate studies at Harvard University, where he studied under the poet Robert Hillyer.

Abandoning graduate study because of the Great Depression, he taught English at several universities, including Michigan State University, Lafayette College, Pennsylvania State University, and Bennington College.

1940

In 1940, he was expelled from his position at Lafayette and he returned to Michigan.

Prior to his return, he had an affair with established poet and critic Louise Bogan, one of his strongest early supporters.

While teaching at Michigan State University in East Lansing, he began to suffer from manic depression, which fueled his poetic impetus.

His last teaching position was at the University of Washington, leading to an association with the poets of the American Northwest.

Some of his best known students included James Wright, Carolyn Kizer, Tess Gallagher, Jack Gilbert, Richard Hugo, and David Wagoner.

The highly introspective nature of Roethke's work greatly influenced the poet Sylvia Plath.

So influential was Roethke's poetry on Plath's mature poetry that when she submitted "Poem for a Birthday" to Poetry magazine, it was turned down because it displayed "too imposing a debt to Roethke."

1952

In 1952, Roethke received a Ford Foundation grant to "expand on his knowledge of philosophy and theology", and spent most of his time from June 1952 to September 1953 reading primarily existential works.

Among the philosophers and theologians he read were Sören Kierkegaard, Evelyn Underhill, Meister Eckhart, Paul Tillich, Jacob Boehme, and Martin Buber.

1953

In 1953, Roethke married Beatrice O'Connell, a former student.

Like many other American poets of his generation, Roethke was a heavy drinker and susceptible to bouts of mental illness.

He did not initially inform O'Connell of his repeated episodes of mania and depression, yet she remained dedicated to him and his work.

1954

He is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential poets of his generation, having won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1954 for his book The Waking, and the annual National Book Award for Poetry on two occasions: in 1959 for Words for the Wind, and posthumously in 1965 for The Far Field.

His work was characterized by its introspection, rhythm and natural imagery.

Roethke was praised by former U.S. Poet Laureate and author James Dickey as "in my opinion the greatest poet this country has yet produced."

He was also a respected poetry teacher, and taught at the University of Washington for fifteen years.

His students from that period won two Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and two others were nominated for the award.

"He was probably the best poetry-writing teacher ever," said poet Richard Hugo, who studied under Roethke.

Roethke was born in Saginaw, Michigan, and grew up on the west side of the Saginaw River.

His father, Otto, was a German immigrant, a market-gardener who owned a large local 25-acre greenhouse, along with his brother (Theodore's uncle).

Much of Theodore's childhood was spent in this greenhouse, as reflected by the use of natural images in his poetry.

1955

From 1955 to 1956 he spent one year in Italy on a scholarship of the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission.

1961

In 1961, "The Return" was featured on George Abbe's album Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry on Folkways Records.

The following year, Roethke released his own album on the label entitled, Words for the Wind: Poems of Theodore Roethke.

In 1961, Roethke was chosen as one of 50 outstanding Americans of meritorious performance in the fields of endeavor, to be honored as a Guest of Honor to the first annual Banquet of the Golden Plate in Monterey, California.

Honor was awarded by vote of the National Panel of Distinguished Americans of the Academy of Achievement.

1963

He suffered a heart attack in his friend S. Rasnics' swimming pool in 1963 and died on Bainbridge Island, Washington, aged 55.

The pool was later filled in and is now a zen rock garden, which can be viewed by the public at the Bloedel Reserve, a 150-acre (60 hectare) former private estate.

There is no marker to indicate that the rock garden was the site of Roethke's death.

There is a sign that commemorates his boyhood home and burial in Saginaw, Michigan.

The historical marker notes in part:

1973

She ensured the posthumous publication of his final volume of poetry, The Far Field, as well as a book of his collected children's verse, Dirty Dinky and Other Creatures, in 1973.