It looks like you're referring to Henry Newbolt's "A New Study of English Poetry", which is a key text in the study of English literature. This work was first published in 1908 and focuses on analyzing and appreciating English poetry, particularly from the 16th century onward. Newbolt was a poet and critic, and this book reflects his deep engagement with the tradition of English poetry.
Overview of A New Study of English Poetry:
Newbolt's approach in this book is both critical and analytical, aiming to provide readers with a more modern understanding of English poetry by highlighting its aesthetic and cultural significance. His study seeks to explore the evolution of poetry in the English language, offering insights into the development of poetic forms, themes, and styles.
Some key aspects of Newbolt's approach in the book include:
1. Focus on the Major Poets and Movements:
Renaissance Poets: Newbolt explores the works of major Renaissance poets such as Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe, and William Shakespeare, analyzing their use of language, form, and imagery.
Metaphysical Poets: He also examines poets like John Donne and George Herbert, paying attention to their complex and intellectual style, which is often characterized by paradox, wit, and deep religious themes.
Romantic Poets: Newbolt discusses the Romantic movement, focusing on poets like William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, and Percy Bysshe Shelley, emphasizing their emphasis on nature, individualism, and emotion.
Victorian Poets: He also looks at Victorian poets, including Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Browning, noting the changing views on faith, society, and the self during the Victorian era.
Modern Poetry: While Newbolt's study was written at the dawn of the 20th century, he does discuss the direction in which English poetry was heading, providing insight into the emerging modernist trends.
2. Emphasis on Form and Technique:
Meter and Rhyme: Newbolt pays close attention to the formal aspects of poetry, such as meter, rhyme, and rhythm, arguing that a poet’s mastery of these elements is crucial to the impact of the work.
Style and Diction: He explores how poets choose their words, the way they structure their lines, and how these decisions influence the reader's experience. For example, he compares the more elaborate, ornamented style of the metaphysical poets with the more straightforward language of the Romantics.
3. Thematic Concerns:
Love, Nature, and the Self: Themes of love, nature, and the exploration of the self are central to much of the poetry Newbolt analyzes. He examines how these themes evolve over time and are treated differently by different poets or movements.
The Heroic and the Sublime: In his discussions of poets like Tennyson and the Victorian era, Newbolt reflects on the role of heroism, idealism, and the sublime in poetry, particularly in response to the societal changes brought on by the Industrial Revolution and colonialism.
Philosophy and Religion: Throughout the book, Newbolt also explores how poets engage with deeper philosophical and religious questions, especially as society moves from the religious certainties of earlier periods to the more skeptical and questioning approaches of the modern era.
4. Poetry as a Reflection of Society:
Newbolt often links the evolution of poetry with changes in society, culture, and politics. He shows how poetry is shaped by its historical context, often serving as a reflection of the times in which it was written. For example, he contrasts the optimism and idealism of earlier poets with the more doubting and critical approaches found in later works.
5. Critical Evaluation:
Newbolt’s critical approach is based on his belief that poetry should not just be analyzed in isolation but should be understood as part of a broader literary tradition. His focus is on helping readers develop a deeper appreciation of poetry, encouraging them to look beyond surface-level readings and engage with the form and meaning of the work more deeply.
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