Edward Thomas: A Portrait
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Author Description
Edward Thomas 1878-1917, published author, critic, and essayist, died at 39, a casualty of World War I. At the suggestion of his friend Robert Frost, Thomas began to write poetry and six months after his death his first book of poems was published. As the prose writer died, the poet was born, and it is on the poems that his reputation still rests. This new biography--based on some 1,800 of Thomas's letters--tells the story of his courtship, his restless marriage, and his tormented need to choose between happiness with his wife and children and the need to find his way as a writer alone. With delicacy and understanding the book describes Thomas's complex character and his pilgrimage on the road to self-discovery, and reveals how the emergence of Thomas the poet became inevitable.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This biography investigates the transformation of Edward Thomas from a prolific prose writer and critic into a significant poet during the final years of his life. R. George Thomas utilizes an extensive archive of approximately 1,800 personal letters to reconstruct the subject's internal and external conflicts. The author argues that Thomas's poetic emergence was an inevitable outcome of his lifelong struggle for self-discovery and his complex domestic life. By examining the intersection of his personal relationships and his creative output, the text provides a comprehensive psychological and professional portrait of the writer.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A detailed examination of Edward Thomas's life from 1878 to 1917.
- Analysis of the influence of Robert Frost on Thomas's transition to poetry.
- Primary source evidence drawn from a collection of 1,800 personal letters.
- Exploration of the tension between familial obligations and the solitary nature of the writing life.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and literary historians recognize this work as a definitive biographical account of Edward Thomas, praised for its meticulous use of primary source material. Readers frequently note the depth of the research and the balanced portrayal of Thomas's complex character.
Page Count:
432
Publication Date:
1985-11-07
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0198185278
ISBN-13:
9780198185277
Biography
History
Poetry
Literary Criticism
