Part I. Life and Works : Wordsworth and biography / Stephen Gill -- The Wordsworth circle / Susan M. Levin -- Dorothy Wordsworth / Judith W. Page -- Composition and revision / Sally Bushell -- Prose Tim Milnes -- Part II. Reception and Influence: The critical reception, 1793-1806 / David Higgins -- The critical reception, 1807-1818 / Peter Simonsen -- The critical reception, 1819-1850 / Richard Cronin -- English poetry, 1900-1930 / Michael O'Neill -- Wordsworth now / Maureen N. McLane -- Part III. Literary Traditions: Eighteenth-century poetry / Kevis Goodman -- The ballad tradition / Daniel Cook -- The pastoral-georgic tradition / David Fairer -- The popular tradition / Ann Wierda Rowland -- Elegy Paul H. Fry -- The sonnet / Daniel Robinson -- Autobiography / Josh Wilner -- Epitaphs and inscriptions / Samantha Matthews -- Sensibility, sympathy and sentiment / James Chandler -- Part IV. Cultural and Historical Contexts -- Revolution / John Bugg -- Poverty and crime / Toby R. Benis -- Europe / Michael Ferber -- War / Simon Bainbridge -- Nature and the environment / Scott Hess -- London / Christopher Stokes -- Family and friendship / Anne D. Wallace -- Education / Frances Ferguson -- Animals / Kurt Fosso -- Philosophy / Stuart Allen -- Religion / Jonathan Roberts -- The senses / Noel Jackson -- Language / Alexander Regier -- The sublime / Philip Shaw -- Walking and travel / Robin Jarvis -- Spectacle, painting and the visual / Sophie Thomas -- Further reading.
Summary:
"William Wordsworth's poetry responded to the enormous literary, political, cultural, technological and social changes that the poet lived through during his lifetime (1770-1850), and to his own transformation from young radical inspired by the French Revolution to Poet Laureate and supporter of the establishment. The poet of the 'egotistical sublime' who wrote the pioneering autobiographical masterpiece, The Prelude, and whose work is remarkable for its investigation of personal impressions, memories and experiences, is also the poet who is critically engaged with the cultural and political developments of his era"-- Provided by publisher.
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