How a Minnesota poet used ancient folklore to reshape modern ideas of masculinity

Science · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Robert Bly was a prolific American poet and translator, but he became a household name for his exploration of manhood. By blending Jungian psychology with fairy tales like the Brothers Grimm, he sparked a cultural movement that challenged contemporary views on the father-son connection and the nature of masculine grief.

Born in 1926 in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, Robert Bly moved through the academic circles of Harvard and the University of Iowa before establishing himself as a significant voice in American literature. His early poetry, such as the 1962 collection Silence in the Snowy Fields, emphasized a deep connection between man and the natural world. Throughout his career, he remained a restless innovator, experimenting with diverse forms ranging from the Arabic ghazal to his own invention, the 'ramage'—a poem of exactly 85 syllables focused on specific vowel sounds.

Bly’s influence extended far beyond his own verse. As a translator, he introduced English-speaking audiences to international poets like Rainer Maria Rilke, Tomas Tranströmer, and Pablo Neruda. His long-standing collaboration with Tranströmer, documented in their published correspondence, highlights his commitment to bridging linguistic divides. He also translated foundational works like Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt and Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, consistently seeking out voices that resonated with his own preoccupation with the soul and the pastoral landscape.

His most controversial and widely recognized contribution remains the 1990 book Iron John: A Book About Men. Drawing on myth and folklore, Bly argued for a deeper understanding of masculinity, which became a cornerstone for the mythopoetic men’s movement in the United States. While the work faced significant criticism, it resonated with many readers, becoming a best-seller. Bly continued to explore these themes alongside his later poetry, which included protests against the Iraq War and meditations on the insatiable soul, until his death in 2021 at the age of 94.

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