
Coleridge's Play of Mind
John Beer(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 2. September 2010
Book
Hardback
286 pages
978-0-19-957401-8 (ISBN)
Description
Eminent Coleridgean scholar John Beer presents a series of biographical investigations exploring Coleridge's life, stage by stage, and reconsidering the intellectual quality of his thinking and poetry through an emphasis on the notion of 'play'. Beginning and ending with brief accounts of the poet's childhood and last years, the book's seventeen chapters each take a passage of Coleridge's life and characterise the nature and function of an abiding playful element in his consciousness. In combination they form a detailed, full, and humane treatment of Coleridge's life, focusing on topics such as his interest in psychology, his poetry, his literary collaboration with William and Dorothy Wordsworth, his hopeless love for William's sister-in-law, his literary criticism, including a new approach to Shakespeare, and his work towards a refreshing of contemporary religious beliefs and practices.
Reviews / Votes
The publication of ^ * David Stewart, Jason Whittaker, and Christopher Machell, Years Work in English Studies * [Beer] knows the man, the works and the period so thoroughly that he can range all over them in a seemingly effortless way, forging links and weaving diverse strands together... this sophisticated study is original and self-contained * H.J. Jackson, Times Literary Supplement * It is one of the achievements of John Beer's book to bring to light that anti-dogmatic spirit in Coleridge, an unconventional playfulness which ensured that his followers. * James Vigus, Review of English Studies *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
482 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-957401-8 (9780199574018)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
John Beer is well known for his work on English Romantic literature. He has lectured in India and the U.S.A. as well as at Manchester and Cambridge.
Content
ABBREVIATIONS ; BIBLIOGRAPHY ; INTRODUCTION ; 1. The Missing Playground ; 2. Fantastic Sportiveness ; 3. Dances of the Intellect and Emotions ; 4. Coleridge and Mackintosh: Revisionary Poet and Simpering 'Dung-Fly' ; 5. Nature, Poetry and the Vicissitudes of Love ; 6. Coleridge, Tom Wedgwood and Conceptions of the Mind ; 7. Wordsworthian Naturalism and the Coleridgean Sublime ; 8. Public Journalism, Private Affections ; 9. Politics, Principle and The Friend ; 10. Fascinations of the Esoteric ; 11. The Poet as Critic, Critic as Poet ; 12. Shakespeare's Plays of Passion ; 13. Mental Energies, Ancient and Modern ; 14. Interinvolving Guilt and Innocence ; 15. Lucency and Florescences ; 16. Questioning Closure ; 17. 'Obstinate in Resurrection' ; INDEX