Mark K。 Fulk’s Understanding May Sarton presented Sarton’s life, experience and literary works comprehensively。 Mark stated in the first chapter that one of the main themes of Sarton’ works was solitude, “ suggesting the religious significance of a cloistered life, yet pesting it of orthodox religious meaning, and presenting it as the ideal position for a writer to reflect on her life and world。” (K。 Fulk, 1968)

Apart from the study above, aging is another hot topic often discussed by Sarton’s researchers。 In As We Shall Be: May Sarton and Aging, Marlene Springer praises Sarton’s dignified and sensitive treatment of the elderly in her work。 He states that in eighteenth and nineteenth century literary treatment of aging and especially aging women is always negative。 But “a modern exception to this pattern is May Sarton, one of the very few writers, especially in our culture, to explore profoundly both the perils and the possibilities confronted by older people; one of the few writers to treat the aged, and particularly older women, with dignity without ignoring the threats of senility, the helplessness of physical decay, the frustrations of waning power。” (Springer, 1980; 46)

Aging and Dying in the novels of May Sarton by Kathleen Gregory Klein is another essay on the theme of aging in Sarton’s works which considers the role of death and dying in Sarton’s work。 She summarizes that “for most all of Sarton’s characters to be old is a privilege。 They pass through the uncertainties and follies of youth, survive the ambiguities of middle age, and finally find the time to assimilate their knowledge-to achieve wisdom。”(Klein, 1983: 2) She explained “this preference as an understanding that dominating death is impossible; the best alternative is to come to terms with dying, to recognize it as a stage of human growth and maturation。”(Klein, 1983: 5) 

From above researches, we can find that most of the scholars who studied May Sarton’ s works concentrated more on her great contributions to the themes of feminism, solitary and aging。 Furthermore, some studies have been made on the journals of May Sarton “At Seventy” by the graduates from Hangzhou Normal University。 The journals are analyzed in various ways; however, the similar conclusion is reached。 

In Sarton’s view, there was no doubt that dying was very frightening , but if she began to think of how little time she shall have at best, panic would set in and pressures would build up。 What she should do was to make every effort to live in eternity's light, not in time。  (Chen Rongfang, 2014)来*自~优|尔^论:文+网www.chuibin.com +QQ752018766*

“In terms of life, she had several hobbies, such as reading, gardening, taking a walk and traveling。 She had an active attitude towards aging instead of fearing of it。 Like most young people, she enjoyed contacting with friends in her old life。 She knew how to balance work with life and how to cope with stress or some negative feelings。 So aging is not so much fearful。”(Zhou Li, 2014)

“In her journal, she focuses on her later life and shares her inspirations with readers。 Sarton lives alone, but she still lives a quite happy life。”( Zhang Xiaoyi, 2014, p。17)

“For Sarton, she is not only a poet but a female who lives with poetry。 By living with poetry, she never feels that she is old; with the help of poetry, she overcomes fears of ageing。” (Wang Yina, 2014)

The previous studies analysis May Sarton’s journal At Seventy from four various aspects:  fear of death, happiness, attitude towards ageing and poetry。 These four studies reach the conclusion that May Sarton, as an elderly and fragile female poet, was living a happy and meaningful old life at her seventies。