Reviews for English poetry of the Victorian period, 1830-1890

The average rating for English poetry of the Victorian period, 1830-1890 based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-04-11 00:00:00 Christopher Hart This book is a terrific read - Perkins is a savvy writer about poets and poetic movements. Not very many poems are discussed in detail, or even quoted; this is a work of history mainly. Perkins has a dry sense of humor, very good at articulating criticisms of poets' work - sometimes it's a little catty.

Review # 2 was written on 2007-12-23 00:00:00 Drezz Parker I got this from the library and as lit major I was interested on what Perkins had to say. It is well written and easy to follow. He starts with an overview of the times and then drills down through the minor poets and up to the major. He has standard view of modern English poetry (it is not "Modern Poetry" but Modern English poetry) so reading this you get a good textbook in the field. You can either read it straight through as I imagine most do or as a reference; either works depending upon your own knowledge. I liked that with the minors he gave lines from their best work, which is good as you know what to find and read -- there is a lot of bad literature out there and having a guide helps. His cataloging of the periods, styles and influences is very helpful. He did a good review of Robt Frost but of course the best part of the book is his critical analysis of eliot, Pounds & Yeats -- the real linchpins of Mod Poetry, not to know and understand them is not only to miss Mod Poetry but good Mod literature as well.