Why is Charles Baudelaire a famous figure in French literature?


 



               Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who believed that art should create beauty from ugliness. Unlike most poets, Baudelaire turned to urban life for inspiration.



               Charles Baudelaire was born on April 9th, 1821, in Paris. Baudelaire brought out his first work in 1845. ‘Les Fleurs du mal’, a collection of his poetry, was published in 1857. The book was banned in France. The ban was in force until 1949. The book made him infamous. However, great writers such as Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo expressed their admiration for these poems. Baudelaire added thirty-five new poems to ‘Les Fleurs du Mal’, in 1861. His widely appreciated translations of Edgar Allan Poe appeared in 1854 and 1855. Baudelaire referred to Poe as a ‘twin soul’.



               He published prose poems too. After his death, these prose poems were compiled and published as ‘Petits Poemes en prose’. He was the first poet to write poems that were not in verse form. Baudelaire died on August 31st, 1867. 



 


Why is Matthew Arnold a prominent poet?


               Matthew Arnold made multiple contributions to English literature. He was a poet, essayist and critic. Matthew Arnold was born in Laleham, on December 24th, 1822. He began his literary career by writing poetry.



               ‘Empedocles on Etna’, and ‘Poems’, gained him fame as a poet. Psychological isolation is a recurring theme in his poems. ‘In Dover Beach’, one of his famous poems, Arnold blames this isolation on the loss of religious faith. His poetry is meditative and rhetorical.



               Arnold’s poetry often wrestles with problems of psychological Isolation. In ‘To Marguerite: Continued’, for example, Arnold revises Donne’s assertion that “No man is an island”, suggesting that we “mortals” are indeed “in the sea of life enisled”. ‘Preface to the Poems’, which was published in 1853, was his first work as a literary critic. Another major work of literary criticism is ‘Essays in Criticism’, which has not lost its importance even today.



               Arnold was made Professor of Poetry at Oxford. He was the first to lecture in English, instead of Latin.



               Matthew Arnold passed on April 15th, 1888.



 


Why was Emily Dickinson a reclusive yet prolific poet?


 



 



             Emily Dickinson was a great poetess who published little in her lifetime. She wrote nearly 1800 poems, but published less than a dozen of these while she was alive.



               Emily Dickinson was born on December 10th, 1830, in Massachusetts. She wore white clothes, and lived alone. Death, faith and deathlessness are the main themes of her poems. ‘The Chariot’, is one of her famous poems about death and immortality.



              Dickinson used short lines, broken rhymes and peculiar comparisons in her poems. Many of her poems were untitled. She intentionally broke rules of capitalization and punctuation in her poems. Lavinia, her younger sister, discovered Dickinson’s poems after her death. Her poems have been available in print without a break since 1890.



               Dickinson is widely regarded as one of the two leading 19th century American poets, along with Walt Whitman.



               Emily Dickinson died on May 15th, 1886. 


Why is Christina Rossetti’s poetry unique?


               Christina Rossetti wrote extraordinary poetry. Rossetti was born in an artistic family on December 5th, 1830. Her father was Gabriele Rossetti, the Italian poet who moved to England. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the painter-poet, was her brother.



               She wrote a wide range of poetry that included fantasy, poems for children, and religious poetry. Seven of her poems were published in the journal ‘The Germ’ under the pen name Ellen Alleyne in 1850.



               Her ballads and mystic religious lyrics won praise and popularity. ‘Goblin Market and Other Poems’, published in 1862 was her masterpiece.



               ‘The Prince’s Progress and Other Poems’, was published in 1866. A collection of her poetry for children titled’, Sing-Song’, was appreciated by many. ‘Seek and Find’, ‘Called To Be Saints’, and ‘The Face of the Deep’, are the religious prose works of Christina Rossetti.



               Rossetti passed away on December 29th, 1894.


What makes Friedrich Holderlin a great poet?


            Friedrich Holderlin was a fan of ancient poets, and a hero to modern poets. He admired Pindar and Sophocles. Holderlin in turn was a great influence on modern poets and philosophers notably Nietzsche, Rilke, Heidegger and Celan.



            Holderlin was born in Germany in 1770. He grew into a great lyric poet who included Christian and Greek elements in his works. He received his degree in 1793. He played a key role in the development of German Idealism. ‘Der Archipelagus’, ‘Brod und Wein’, ‘Patmos, Halfte des Lebens’, are prominent among his works.



            Holderlin himself translated ‘Oedipus the King’, and ‘Antigone’, written by Sophocles, into German in 1804.



            Friedrich Holderlin died on 7th June 1843. Sadly, his greatness was not recognized in his lifetime. Today, he ranks among the greatest of the German as well as European poets.



            In 2008, Maxine Chernoff and Paul Hoover translated the Selected Poems of Friedrich Holderlin and won a PEN USA Award for Translation.



 



 


Why Robert Burns is much admired?


            Robert Burns is widely regarded as the National poet of Scotland. During his short life, Burns created memorable poems and songs. His first song was ‘Handsome Nell’. ‘Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect’ is his first book. Published in 1786, this book made Burns famous.



            Most of his poems were penned between 1784 and 1785. Burns came to be known as a great peasant-poet. Burns wrote superb satires. These satires are marked by a brilliant use of both formal and spoken language.



            ‘Tam O’ Shanter’, a mock heroic poem, gained wide appeal. Burns also wrote histrionic poems. His song, ‘It was Upon a Lammas Night’, showcased his potential as a song writer.



            Burns achieved greatness as a writer of songs. Love, friendship and work are the recurring themes of his songs. Burns wrote well over three hundred songs. ‘A Red, Red Rose’, ‘Epigram on Rough Woods’, A Man’s A Man For A’ That’, are among his much loved songs and poems.



            Robert Burns was born in the village of Alloway on 25th January, 1759. He was inspired by the writings of Alexander Pope, Henry Mackenzie, and Laurence Sterne. Robert Burns passed way on July 21st, 1796. After his death he became a great source of inspiration to many.


What makes William Blake a prominent poet?


 



               The genius of William Blake was not recognized during his lifetime. He was either ignored, or regarded as a madman. Today he is regarded as one among the greatest 18th century poet.



               Born in London on November 28, 1757, William Blake was schooled at home. The boy wished to be a painter, and his parents sent him to drawing school when he was ten years old.



               Blake’s first printed work, ‘Poetical Sketches’ is a collection of apprentice verse, mostly imitating classical models. The young poet attacked war and tyranny in these poems. ‘Songs of Innocence and of Experience’, is his widely known work of poetry that came out in 1789.



               Works such as The ‘French Revolution’, ‘America, a Prophecy’, ‘Visions of the Daughters of Albion’, and ‘Europe, a Prophecy’, express his opposition to the English monarchy. William Blake passed away in 1827.



 


Why is Johann Wolfgang von Goethe revered in literary circles?


               Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German literary giant. He played many roles in his life. Goethe was poet, novelist, playwright, amateur artist, scientist, theatre director, critic, and statesman.



               Goethe is closely associated with Germany’s 18th century literary renaissance. Goethe wrote ‘Faust’. This long poem ranks not far behind Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, and Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’. Interestingly, expert editing turned this poem into a play. Goethe produced his greatest works before he left for Weimar. ‘Gotz von Berlichingen’, was the tragedy that made Goethe famous. ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’, cemented his status as a great writer. Innerlichkeit, a movement in German poetry, was inspired by Goethe’s poems. ‘Mignon’s Song’, written by Goethe, influenced several great music composers such as Mozart, Schubert, Berlioz and Wolf. And Goethe was a hero to Beethoven. Natural Science too held attractions for Goethe, and he wrote on colour theory and shapes of living things.



               Goethe was home-tutored along with his sister till he reached the age of sixteen. He showed an early flair for drawing. Fortunately, he channeled his energies into writing. 


Why is Oliver Goldsmith a renowned Irish poet?



 



               Oliver Goldsmith, born in 1728, was a gifted wordsmith. His creativity found expression in poems, novels, essays and plays. Even the classic children’s story, ‘The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes’, was believed to have been authored by Goldsmith in I765.



               His poem ‘The Traveller’ was published in 1764. As its name suggests, it is inspired by his wanderings through Europe. In 1770 he wrote ‘The Deserted Village’, his greatest poetic work. This book recreates homely rural life through a series of short poems.



               ‘The Good Natur’d Man’, and ‘She Stoops to Conquer’, were plays penned by him. ‘She Stoops to Conquer’, was an instant success. Goldsmith also wrote ‘The Hermit’, a romantic ballad which has 160 lines.



               The great poet Oliver Goldsmith passed away in 1774. 


Why is Thomas Gray acclaimed as a great poet?


 



               Thomas Gray wrote poems of great beauty and he was offered the position of Poet Laureate in 1757. However, Gray declined the offer. Gray was born in Cornhill on 26th December 1716, to Philip Gray and Dorothy Antrobus. They had twelve children. Among them, only Thomas Gray reached adulthood. Gray gained admission to Peterhouse College in Cambridge University, but he failed to get a degree.



               Gray was known for his elegies. An elegy is a sad poem, usually dedicated to the dead. Thomas Gray’s works played a key role in inspiring the beginnings of the Romantic Movement. Gray began writing poetry in 1742. ‘An Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’, published in 1751, was his masterpiece. This poem brought him name and fame. ‘Ode on the Spring’, ‘Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West’, ‘and Hymn to Adversity’ and ‘Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College’ are some of his other famous poems. Gray was hugely popular with the reading public, but he was a perfectionist who published just thirteen poems in his lifetime.



               Thomas Gray’s works played an important role in inspiring the coming generations. Gray ranks second in significance among the poets of the eighteenth century. 


Why is Alexander Pope considered to be a great poet?


               A dispute over a lock of hair attracted the attention of Alexander Pope, the great poet. Lord Peter had cut off a lock of hair from the head of Arabella Fermor. And Pope wrote ‘The Rape of the Lock’, a mock epic that poked fun at high society. It first published in 1712, with a revised version published in 1714.



               In May, 1709, Pope’s Pastorals was published. This brought Pope instant fame, and was followed by ‘An Essay on Criticism’, published in May 1711, which was equally well received.



               At the time the poem was published, the heroic couplet style in which it was written was a moderately new genre of poetry. Heroic couplet consists of rhyming pair of lines. Pope’s most ambitious work. ‘An Essay on Criticism’ was an attempt to identify and refine his own positions as a poet and critic. It gives the poet’s views on whether poetry should be natural, or written according to set rules.



               He translated both the ‘Illiad’ and the ‘Odyssey’. Pope’s translation of the ‘Illiad’, was published between 1715 and 1720 and the ‘Odyssey’, in 1726.



               ‘An Essay on Man’ is another famous philosophical poem by Alexander Pope.



               Alexander Pope was born in England in 1688, and died on 30th May, 1744. 


Why is John Dryden a great poet?


 



               John Dryden wrote his way to fame. So much so that, the period of Restoration England was known as the Dryden Age in literary circles.



               Dryden was born in England on August 9th, 1631. Dryden attended the Westminster school. In 1650, he was admitted to Trinity College, and he received his BA in 1654. His literary career began in the 1660s. ‘To His Sacred Majesty: A Panegyric on his Coronation’ and ‘To My Lord Chancellor’ were published in 1662. Dryden may have hoped to attract royal patrons with these publications. The long poem ‘Annus Mirabilis’ was published in 1667. Two victories achieved by the English fleet over the Dutch, and the escape of the Londoners from the Great Fire of 1666 are the subjects of this poem.



               ‘Mac Flecknoe’, ‘Absalom and Achitophel’ and ‘The Medal’ are outstanding examples of satiric verse. In 1682, he wrote ‘Religio Laici’, a collection of religious poems. John Dryden passed away on 12th May 1700, and was buried in St. Anne’s cemetery in Soho. However, ten days later, his body was taken out and buried in Westminster Abbey. 


Why is it said that Andrew Marvell’s poetry was overshadowed by his political reputation?



               Andrew Marvell was an uncommon poet who sat in the House of Commons, which was the elected house of British Parliament.



               Marvell was born on March 31, 1621. His father was Rev. Andrew Marvell, was a lecturer at the Holy Trinity Church, and master of the Charter house.



               Although Andrew Marvell wrote much, little was published. A collection of Marvell’s writings appeared only after his death in 1681. His work was given the attention it deserved only in the twentieth century, and today Marvell is regarded as one of the greatest poets of the seventeenth century. His poetry is marked by biting political satire. A satire is a form of writing that uses humour to expose or criticize people’s stupidity. ‘A Horatian Ode Upon Cromwell’s Return from Ireland’, is Marvell’s political satire.



               ‘To His Coy Mistress’ is a love song, while ‘Upon Appleton House’ and ‘The Garden’ are about a nobleman’s house, and a garden respectively. 



 


What makes Richard Lovelace unique among his contemporary poets?


 



               Richard Lovelace was a fighter and a writer. In the Civil War, he fought for the King. In fact, he was a cavalier poet of the 17th century. He took to writing while he was a student at Oxford. When he was only nineteen, his verse appeared in a volume of elegies dedicated to Princess Katherine. Lovelace wrote more than 200 poems.



               He was imprisoned for his controversial political stands. From there he wrote the famous poem ‘To Althea from Prison’ in 1642. ‘To Lucasta: Going to the Warres’, is one of his other famous poems. ‘The Rose’ and ‘The Scrutiny’ were also considered as his masterpieces.



               Lovelace was fascinated by animals, and he wrote ‘The Ant’, ‘The Grassehopper’ and ‘Spyder’. Lovelace’s connections with powerful personalities, and the politics of the time, influenced his writing. But the poet died in poverty in 1657.



               Posthumously published ‘Lucasta, Postume Poems’, was graver, compared to the works that were published in his lifetime. 


Why is it said that John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ is unique?



 



               John Milton lost his eyesight, but his poetic insight inspired generations of writers and readers. ‘Paradise Lost’, is his magnum opus.



               Being blind, Milton could not write, and he was forced to dictate his poem to friends or helpers who wrote it down. ‘Paradise Lost’ was written between 1658 and 1664 when the poet was living in poverty. The first version, published in 1667, consisted of ten books. ‘Paradise Regained’, also came out in 1671. Scholars regard 'Paradise Lost,' as the greatest epic in the English language.



               Milton was born in London on December 9th, 1608. He attended St. Paul’s School, and also Christ’s College, Cambridge. He wrote his poems in Latin, Italian, and English. ‘On Shakespeare’, written in 1630, was his first published poem.



               Milton published several minor prose works, such as the grammar textbook, ‘Art of Logic’, and a ‘History of Britain’. Milton suffered from kidney disease, and died on 8th November, 1674 and was buried in the church of St. Giles Cripplegate.