Poets of the Romantic Period (1780-1830)

Death of Chatterton, Henry Wallis (1856)

1. Biographical Information

Blake (b1757), Burns (b1759), Wordsworth (b1770), Coleridge (b1772), Byron (b1778), Shelley (b1792), Clare (b1793), Keats (b1795)

click on an image to go to a short biography

2. Commentary and Criticism

Why Romantic?
the meaning of 'romantic' in the context of the period 1790-1830 in Great Britain

Why Lyrical Ballads?
how the collection came into being and its importance

Lyrical Ballads (1798) : advertisement
full text of the advertisement (preface)

Lyrical Ballads (1798)
list of contents and critical reception

Lyrical Ballads (1800) Preface
full text of the Preface

Lyrical Ballads (1800)
list of contents and critical reception

Francis Jeffrey: Thalaba the Destoyer
Jeffrey writes about the 'Lake Poets' ie Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey.

3. Poems

To get a taste of what the Romantic poets are about, there are a handful of classic poems which you might enjoy browsing. Click on the image below to go there:

Wordsworth

The Borderers
Synopsis and critical appreciation of Wordsworth's drama

Lyrical Ballads (1800) Volume I
full text of all the poems

Lyrical Ballads (1800) Volume II
full text of all the poems

The Prelude
Synopsis and critical appreciation

Byron

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
Full text of the poem and notes on the Grand Tour

The poet biographies, criticism, translations, commentary and textual notes on this site are the copyright of Paul Scott
www.adnax.com

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