A History of British Poetry

This History provides a concise overview of the developments of British poetry from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day. The volume brings together experts in the field and offers a series of introductions to key poetic genres, poetic conventions and recent debates. The 31 chapters trace major developments in the history of British poetry, featuring poets such as Geoffrey Chaucer, William Langland, William Shakespeare, Alexander Pope, William Wordsworth, Philip Larkin, Seamus Heaney, Carol Ann Duffy, David Dabydeen, and many more. Instead of presenting a ‘comprehensive’ survey of British poetry, this History provides in-depth analyses of selected poems, linking them to the multiple cultural, social and aesthetic contexts of their time. In addition to presenting an array of theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of poetry, each chapter assesses crucial generic changes and aesthetic concerns that had an impact on processes of production, distribution, and reception of poetry. As such, the handbook offers an essential guide to both teachers and students, to specialists and non-specialists of poetry alike.