The Hidden Wordsworth

by Kenneth R. Johnston

"This is a Wordsworth we have never quite seen before."―Hermione Lee, The New York Times In this fascinating account, Kenneth R. Johnston portrays a Wordsworth different in crucial ways from the one the poet intended us to know. Taking advantage of unprecedented access to archives, family papers, and letters, he reveals the poet's complex relationship with his sister Dorothy; the full story of the affair with his French mistress, Annette Vallon; and his surprisingly close connections to both radical reformers and the political establishment of his day, including members of the newly formed British Secret Service in England and Germany. The Hidden Wordsworth also explores the poet's intense and often destructive relations with a cluster of young writers, leading up to his friendship with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. This brilliantly insightful biography breaks through the carefully crafted but frequently misleading accounts of his youth Wordsworth created in his conservative later years. The Hidden Wordsworth reveals the radical young poet whose powerful intellect revolutionized English poetry. Winner of the 1998 Jean Baracelli Prize from the American Conference on Romanticism; shortlisted for the James Tait Black biography prize (UK); a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. "Full of fresh information, fresh insights, and fresh intelligent critical readings of the poetry."―Stephen M. Parrish, editor, The Cornell Wordsworth 39 black and white illustrations

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Poetry

738 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Brian Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book revolutionized our understanding of Wordsworth in the 1790s by stripping away the accretion of myths perpetuated by the poet himself in the second half of his life. Johnston exhaustively researched primary materials from 1770-1809 to reveal the flesh and blood Wordsworth behind the monument erected by the Victorians.

Johnston explores the passions and flaws and development of Wordsworth's mind, from the details of his early education, his introduction into letters, his excursions into France witnessing many of the major events of the Revolution, his friendship with Coleridge, and his development as a poet, leaving us on the cusp of the second half of his life (where some accused WW of "selling out" both financially and intellectually to establishment art).

The biggest revelation is the middle section in which the full details of Wordsworth's fathering of an illegitimate daughter with Frenchwoman Annette Vallon are revealed. Scholars had known that it had occurred but very little other than that. Wordsworth was very careful in covering his public record of this scandal, but the details are here. The truth is not especially salacious, but Wordsworth did take financial care of Caroline when he could for the rest of his life. Annette definitely expected to marry but the events of the French Revolution, as well as Wordsworth's development as an artist, prevented him from doing much to help her. It also didn't help that WW never was particularly well off financially. The details are much more harrowing (no spoilers) but it includes at least a couple of near escapes for the poet himself (how he was not executed in 1794 can only be laid at the hands of fortune). We see how Wordsworth ventured on his own path after 1809, for better and for worse.

This is a very detailed study, but fascinating for those fascinated with the above subjects. I devoured the 600 pages when I first read it and this could possibly be the best biography of Wordsworth based on your needs. My rating of five is based on my reading background but won't be the consensus of many general readers. Still, it is a highly esteemed addition to Wordsworth studies that must be reckoned with.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kenneth Johnston's biography is rich in new research and contains some revelations about Wordsworth's life. I appreciated the passages putting his life in context, in particular his father's role as a land agent for Lord Lowther, and the response to the French Revolution among intellectual circles in England.
Unfortunately, the writing style is very dense and I found it difficult to sustain interest in this book.

[Amy]

This book is a stunningly detailed piece of scholarship and was, I hope, a labor of love for Ken Johnston. It's just too dense for pleasure reading. Instead I turned right to the source, a fat volume of Wordsworth's poetry arranged chronologically.

[Shouvik Hore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovable book, although I fail to understand how the discovery of fissures or freckles, or its mention in the book makes Tintern Abbey any greater a poem, or Wordsworth better, or the author exceedingly knowledgeable about the poet. Facetious comments are not expected of a Norton publication.

[James Prothero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating biography. Johnson challenges a lot of assumptions and raised a firestorm when he did it. But the fact is some of our ideas of Wordsworth need shaking up.