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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... shows how appealing simplicity can be , given the right context . We need not apologize for enjoying such a poem ( probably even more so with the music ) , which can be admired on its own terms without overvaluing it . On a more serious ...
... shows that poetry may be plainspoken , reasonable , and unpretentious , despite Jonson's ostensible belief in the Renaissance doctrine that poetry is akin to prophecy . Jonson's poetry may not generate the same kind of excitement as ...
... shows how poetry can be strikingly ugly ; it is not always about beauty and goodness . The final triplet ( three rhyming lines in succession ) with an alexandrine ( twelve syllables , six stressed ) in the last line enhances the force ...
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 |