Georgian Poetry

Literary/ Cultural Context Essay

James Bridges (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.08: English Writing and Culture of the early Twentieth Century , 1900-1945.
Vol. editors: Chris Baldick (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Peter Childs (Birmingham Newman University), Louise McDonald (Birmingham Newman University), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Domains

Movements, styles and periods (literature)

Dates

Date of occurrence 1912-1925

Places

United Kingdom (Location)

Genres and Modes

Poetry (any)

Resources

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'Georgian' is largely a negative term, used to describe formally traditional verse of the early twentieth century that concentrates mainly on rural themes, and allegedly lacks both ambition and inspiration. When one takes into account the full historical context, however, a revised view becomes possible. The Georgians were a group of poets that gained a large popular readership during the early years of George V's reign (1910-1936) and their poetry can best be read as a creditable but not entirely successful attempt to maintain Romantic, liberal and humanistic traditions when more radically experimental writers were forsaking these for the values of Modernism. In their time the Georgians were seen as practising a plain, sharp and freshly colloquial poetry, and challenging the sonorous…

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702 words

Citation: Bridges, James. "Georgian Poetry". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 July 2002 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=470, accessed 21 November 2024.]