This book is a comprehensive introduction to English poetry, tracing its evolution from the Age of Chaucer to the Romantic Period. Designed especially for undergraduate and graduate students who are second-language learners in South and Southeast Asia, it fosters a deeper appreciation of English literary history and its aesthetic foundations.Each chapter offers a well-structured overview, beginning with the historical, social, political, and philosophical contexts that shaped the literature of the time. This is followed by close readings of representative poems, highlighting key themes, poetic forms, and stylistic features. The analytical framework helps learners understand not just the content of the poems, but also the broader cultural forces that influenced their creation and reception.
Subjects covered include:
Major poets and literary movements from Chaucer to the Romantics Historical and cultural contexts of poetic works Thematic concerns and philosophical underpinnings Guided analysis of selected poems with discussion prompts
Ideal for classroom use or independent study, this book is a valuable resource for students seeking both knowledge and inspiration in their study of English poetry.
Preface
1. From Chaucer to Spenser
2. Shakespeares Sonnets
3. John Donne
4. Milton and Marvell
5. Alexander Pope
6. William Blake
Index
Deb Narayan Bandyopadhyay is the Vice Chancellor of Bankura University, West Bengal, and former Professor of English at Burdwan University. He has lectured internationally, including at the University of Vienna, Salzburg, and Oxford. A Fulbright nominee, he has held fellowships in the US, UK, and Australia. He has published extensively and is a contributing editor for the Journal of American History. His research interests include Shakespearean studies, postcolonial theory, and gerontology.
