The Uses of PoetryThis is an account of the part played by poetry in the life of man from earliest times to the present. Older than prose, it was the vehicle for his technology, history, philosophy and science; it helped him feel at home in his environment; it was the social element between him and his fellows. Mr Thompson explores these many facets in the earlier chapters of his book, and then goes on to consider the impact of printing when in his view poetry became subtler but ceased to be a popular possession. However, as Mr Thompson shows, poetry could still be of value in helping people to cope with the strains of living, in assimilating the implications of vast new fields of knowledge, and in keeping alive the idea of humanity in a dehumanising age. |
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accepted activity ancient animals audience ballads became beginning century changes Christian church comes culture dance death described developed early effective emotions England English example existence experience expressed feeling followed give Greek hand heart human hundred imagination important individual influence interest kind knowledge language later less lines literature living London magic material means medieval Middle mind nature never noted offered oral origin performed perhaps play poems poet poetic poetry political poor popular practical present primitive printed produced prose protest readers recorded religious rhyme rhythm seasons seems sense singer singing social society songs speech story supplied symbols things thinking thought took tradition truth universe verse voice whole writing written wrote