( 2 reviews )
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Feb 18 2006
I bought this book as an undergraduate when I first began studying the Romantics and it helped me immensely. I fell in love with them and after just completing a Masters Degree, I now feel very comfortable with their poetry. I would highly recommend this book for anyone struggling to understand Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, etc., for the first time. They can seem so intimidating in the beginning and this book can guide the student to a better understanding of what they were trying to say and why. It's a slim little volume which begins with a chapter entitled "Understanding Romantic Poetry" and moves on to "Studying a Blake poem" with Blake being one of the more complex writers of the Romantic period. O'Flinn dedicates two chapters to Wordsworth, i.e., "Lyrical Ballads" and then "The Prelude Books I and II." In Chapter 5 he covers Coleridge and in Chapter 6 Keats. Percy Shelley and Lord Byron are discussed but not to the detail of the other poets. Chapter 7 the next to last chapter in the book is entitled "Working with women's poetry" which is one of the weaker chapters of the book. Again, a good beginner's guide to reading and understanding the Romantic Period and their poetry.
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( 3 of 3 found this review helpful ) Posted: Aug 9 2003
This book provides a loose, but organic entry into the study of lyrical and narrative Romantic verse. The author does not neglect historical, political and biographical context. On the other hand, he does not overanalyze authors or apply any modern critical approaches to their work, though he refers to them and demonstrates awareness of them.One of the strongest aspects of the author's approach is his development and rigorous application of a methodical "recipe" for working through difficult poems. Though the approach is limited - it serves as a useful launching point for student's who are intimidated and/or relatively disinterested in poetry. The method is refreshing when employed in the classroom setting, easily personalized by the student and is certainly consistant with basic critical approaches (especially the New School approach that is so popular with disciplined high school teachers). In short, it leaves students with little excuse to say "I didn't understand it" when they are called on.The author surveys a poem or two by most of the major Romantic poets and includes useful chapters on romantic women poets and writing about poetry. The format of the book does not permit a teacher to overly rely on it "as a script" but can help a teacher (who has diligently researched the poems and poets they have assigned) tie together many of the important threads of Romantic poetry in a cohesive manner. I would especially recommend this book for teachers who do not have a strong background in this genre/era.At times the style of the writing is a tad self-indulgent and irritatingly vernacular, but is generally clear and useful.
