The Pleasure of Poetry: Reading and Enjoying British Poetry from Donne to BurnsThe poetry produced by the British poets of the 17th and 18th centuries is considered to be among the best ever written. But many general readers feel intimidated by the language or structure of the poetry, and so tend to shy away from enjoying these poets and their works. Nelson takes readers on a tour of the major works and figures of 17th- and 18th-century British poetry, explaining major themes, devices, styles, language, rhythm, sound, tone, imagery, form, and meaning. Beginning each chapter with a sketch of the poet's life and career, the author then looks at five or six representative works, helping readers understand and appreciate the beauty of poetry itself. |
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... Perhaps long ago , the speaker thinks , people did not want it to be sharp : " Perhaps some such of old did pass , Who above all things loved this life ; To whom thy scythe a hatchet was , Which now is but a pruning knife . Christ's ...
... perhaps the most elaborate allegory in all of poetry , as Dante the character takes his arduous spiritual journey all the way from Hell through Purgatory to Paradise . There are not many allegories in the poetry we will discuss , but ...
... perhaps even more important than ideas in his verse , with sympathy and generosity being the most prominent feelings displayed . In " The Deserted Village , " then , Goldsmith combines traditional poetic forms and devices with ...
Contents
Introduction to Reading Poetry | 1 |
Poet of Secular and Sacred Love | 19 |
Elegist Satirist and Moralist | 37 |
Copyright | |
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The Pleasure of Poetry: Reading and Enjoying British Poetry from Donne to Burns Nicolas H. Nelson No preview available - 2006 |