An accessible introduction to poetry's unusual uses of language that tackles a wide range of poetic features from a linguistic point of view. Equally appealing to the non-expert and more experienced student of linguistics, this book delivers an engaging and often witty summary of how we define what poetry is.
Exploring the social and political themes in Blake's poetry, this analysis positions him as a "phenomenologist of liberation." It highlights his challenge to the prevailing ideologies of his era, revealing his enduring relevance to contemporary fears and aspirations. The work provides a thought-provoking examination of Blake's insights into freedom and the human condition.
An engaging guide to reading, understanding and enjoying Romantic verse, designed for students approaching the period for the first time.
Michael Ferber considers Romanticism in its time of growth in Western Europe, examining various types of Romantic literature, music, painting, religion, and philosophy. He provides examples and quotations throughout to demonstrate the diverse nature of the movement.
This is the first dictionary of symbols to be based on literature, rather than "universal" pyschological archetypes, myths or esoterica. Michael Ferber has assembled nearly two hundred main entries clearly explaining and illustrating the literary symbols that we all encounter (such as swan, rose, moon, gold), along with hundreds of cross-references and quotations. The dictionary concentrates on English literature, but its entries range widely from the Bible and classical authors to the twentieth century, taking in American and European literatures. Its informed style and rich references will make this book an essential tool not only for literary and classical scholars, but for all students of literature.