Lepke and Lowell, Seperated at Birth? - Memories of West St and Lepke VI

This post is part of my poetry analysis on Robert Lowell's Memories of West Street and Lepke, the poem and original post can be found at: http://robertlowellandco.blogspot.com/2009/05/like-arrr-this-poems-about-like-jail.html

Lowell portrays Czar Lepke as almost his equivalent in the poem but at the same time his polar opposite. They both have had a time of rebellion (albeit Lepke’s was more violent and worse that Lowell’s) and both were forced to remove themselves from their once comfortable lifestyles and into the tough environment of prison. They were then both placed in this over-calm state. Lepke being lobotomized physically (“Drifting in a sheepish calm”) but Lowell being almost mentally lobotomized by the times (“these are the tranquilised fifties”)
Finally they both found an escape from this state; Lowell through his daughter, this is made apparent by the line “Like the sun she rises” which suggests that she is essential to him and his survival. Lepke also finds an escape; through the electric chair (“ Where no agonizing reappraisal jarred his concentration on the electric chair, hanging like an oasis in his air, of lost connections…”).

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I have included this particular paragraph in my analysis because I feel that Lowell identifies with this particular character. The language he uses throughout the early verses and while describing Czar Lepke is very similar and hints at almost some kind of empathy, as if he knows how Lepke feels to some extent. I have backed up this opinoin with many quotes and their interpretations. You may notice I have not included a linking sentence as this is my final paragraph.