JOHN CLARE AND THE PLACE OF POETRY

GORJI, MINA

ISBN 10: 1846311632 / ISBN 13: 9781846311635

Published by Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, 2008

About this Item

Cover image: Thomas Bewick: History of British birds: 'The snipe'. Design by: Emily Wilkinson. Traditional accounts of Romantic and nineteenth-century poetry, have depicted John Clare as a peripheral figure, an 'original genius' whose talents set him apart from the mainstream of contemporary literary culture. But in recent years there has been a major shift of direction in Clare studies. Jonathan Bate, Zachary Leader and others have helped to show that Clare, far from being an isolated genius, was deeply involved in the rich cultural life both of his village and the metropolis. This study takes impetus from this new critical direction, offering an account of his poems as they relate to the literary culture of his day, and to literary history as it was being constructed in the early nineteenth century. Gorji defines a literary historical context in which Clare s poetry can best be understood, paying particular attention to questions of language and style. Rather than situating Clare in relation to Romantic poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, 'John Clare and the Place of Poetry' considers his poetry in relation to eighteenth-century traditions as they persisted and developed in the Romantic period. Contents: 1). Artfully rhymes. 2). Uncouth rhymes. 3). Village minstrel. 4). Rustic Spenserian. 5). The place of poetry. With notes, bibliography and index. John Clare (1793 - 1864) was an English poet, the son of a farm labourer, who came to be known for his celebratory representations of the English countryside and his lamentation of its disruption. His poetry underwent a major re-evaluation in the late 20th century and he is often now considered to be among the most important 19th-century poets. Benjamin Britten set some of 'May' from 'A Shepherd's Calendar' in his 'Spring Symphony' of 1948, and included a setting of 'The Evening Primrose' in his 'Five Flower Songs'. X + 177 pag. Size: 24cmx16cm. Seller Inventory # 030144

Bibliographic Details

Title: JOHN CLARE AND THE PLACE OF POETRY

Publisher: Liverpool University Press, Liverpool

Publication Date: 2008

Binding: Hard cover with dust jacket

Condition: New condition.

Edition: 1st edition.

About this title

Synopsis:

Traditional accounts of Romantic and nineteenth-century poetry, have depicted John Clare as a peripheral figure, an 'original genius' whose talents set him apart from the mainstream of contemporary literary culture. But in recent years there has been a major shift of direction in Clare studies. Jonathan Bate, Zachary Leader and others have helped to show that Clare, far from being an isolated genius, was deeply involved in the rich cultural life both of his village and the metropolis. This study takes impetus from this new critical direction, offering an account of his poems as they relate to the literary culture of his day, and to literary history as it was being constructed in the early nineteenth century. Gorji defines a literary historical context in which Clare's poetry can best be understood, paying particular attention to questions of language and style. Rather than situating Clare in relation to Romantic poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, John Clare and the Place of Poetry considers his poetry in relation to eighteenth-century traditions as they persisted and developed in the Romantic period. This timely book is for scholars and students of Clare and eighteenth and nineteenth century poetry, but it should also appeal to the expanding audience for John Clare's work in the UK and USA.

About the Author:

Dr Mina Gorji teaches English at the University of Cambridge. She has also edited 'Rude Britannia' (Routledge 2007).