The City of Dreadful Night

Exploring themes of bleak pessimism and urban dehumanization, the long poem reflects James Thomson's struggles with alcoholism and chronic depression. Written during a time of increasing isolation, it captures his emotional turmoil and hostility towards even close friends. Although The City of Dreadful Night and Other Poems received favorable reviews shortly before his death, it ultimately could not alter the trajectory of his troubled life. Thomson's work remains a poignant expression of the Victorian experience and the depths of despair.