Majestic, noble, brave lions, with their tawny coats and luminous eyes, have inspired countless stories, traditions and beliefs. Whether we are seduced by their beauty or drawn to danger, we want to be near them. This book draws on the scientific research, folklore, travel literature, and lion tamers' memoirs to guide readers on a cultural safari.
First published in 1969, this book places Coleridge's literary criticism against the background of his philosophical thinking, examining his theories about criticism and the nature of poetry. Particular attention is paid to the structure of Biographia Literaria, Coleridge's distinction between Imagination and Fancy, his definitions of the poetic characters of Shakespeare and Wordsworth, his analysis of the mental state of audiences in theatres, and his interpretations of Paradise Lost, Hamlet and Aeschylus' Prometheus. The emphasis throughout is on how Coleridge thought rather than what he thought and the process rather than the conclusions of his criticism.
First published in 1980. This title provides a critical and historical account of poetry written between 1780 and 1835. The author has been especially concerned to place the great poems and poets of the age in the context of the conventions and traditions in which they wrote, offering new perspectives on familiar works. Poems still famous are examined often in relation to works of a similar kind fashionable at the time but now neglected, and these unconventional groupings throw fresh light on Romantic poetry as a whole. An appendix is included, designed to be read as a supplement to the main text, serving both as a chronology and as a brief guide to works that do not fall within the scope of the main argument. This title will be of interest to students of literature.