The Athenaeum

Literary/ Cultural Context Essay

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The Athenaeum

was a weekly review of literature and the arts, established in 1828 by James Silk Buckingham and published from London. Its title suggests a shrine to Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom, and thus a venue for literary and scientific learning, as also in the case of the unrelated Athenaeum Club (est. 1824). The editorship of the Liberal politician Charles Wentworth Dilke between 1829 and 1846 established the review’s influential position in English literary culture. Notable among his successors were William Hepworth Dixon (editor 1853-69) and Norman MacColl (editor 1871-1900). In its Victorian period, the magazine attracted distinguished contributors including Thomas Carlyle, W. S. Landor, Robert Browning, G. H. Lewes, and Walter Pater. Regular contributors included Geraldine…

598 words

Citation: Baldick, Chris. "The Athenaeum". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 March 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1415, accessed 29 March 2024.]

1415 The Athenaeum 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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