Author Description
This welcome two-volume reissue of John Wain's classic anthologies celebrates four centuries of English poetry from the Elizabethan era to the present.Beginning with the English Renaissance poet Edmund Spenser, the collection progresses through the periods of metaphysical poets such as Donne and Marvell, Augustans such as Dryden and Pope, Victorians such as Tennyson and Browning, and World War I poets such as Sassoon and W.H. Auden. In addition, the anthology includes the works of contemporary poets, featuring Seamus Heaney, Anne Stevenson, Peter Levi, and Ted Hughes, among many others. The result is a rich and varied portrait of the poetry of the ages--comic and dramatic, conventional and unconventional--that is enhanced by works of the less well-known poets. A beautiful record of Britain and Ireland's verbal heritage, this work will delight all poetry lovers.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This anthology investigates the evolution and breadth of English poetry by curating a representative selection of works spanning from the Elizabethan era to the modern period. John Wain, a noted critic and poet, compiles these volumes to provide a comprehensive overview of the British and Irish poetic tradition, utilizing his editorial expertise to balance canonical figures with lesser-known voices. The framework is chronological, allowing the reader to observe the shifting stylistic and thematic concerns of poets across four centuries.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A chronological selection of English poetry starting with Edmund Spenser.
- Representative works from the Metaphysical, Augustan, Victorian, and World War I eras.
- Inclusion of contemporary poets such as Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughes.
- Editorial introductions providing historical and stylistic context for the selected pieces.
Scope Limits
- The collection focuses primarily on British and Irish poets, excluding a broader international scope.
- The selection is curated by the editor's personal and academic preferences rather than an exhaustive historical record.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and educators frequently cite this anthology as a reliable and well-structured resource for students of English literature. Readers often note the clarity of the editorial choices and the effective balance between established masters and significant minor poets.
Page Count:
688
Publication Date:
2003-05-15
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192804219
ISBN-13:
9780192804211
Poetry
Anthology
Literary Criticism
British literature
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