The Pre-Raphaelites and Their Circle

by Cecil Y. Lang

This volume presents the major works of the five leading Pre-Raphaelite poets. Foremost in the collection, & included in their entirety are D.G. Rossetti's The House of Life, C.G. Rossetti's "Monna Innominata," Wm Morris's "Defence of Guenevere," Swinburne's Atalanta in Calydon & Meredith's "Modern Love." Complementing these major poems is a generous selection of the poets' shorter pieces typical of their work as a whole. For this 2nd edition, Lang has substituted two early Swinburne poems, "The Leper" & "Anactoria," for Fitzgerald's The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. These poems, which the editor thinks shocking, show a new aspect of Swinburne not discussed previously. The Introduction describes briefly the founding of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, discusses each of the poets, both individually & in relation to the others, & grapples with the questions of definition of Pre-Raphaelitism & the similarities between its painting & poetry. The book is illustrated with 32 works by D.G. Rossetti, John Ruskin, Wm H. Hunt & other Pre-Raphaelite artists. This anthology provides a representative selection of the work of these poets. It will be indispensable to students of Victorian poetry & appreciated by all interested in the Pre-Raphaelites.

Genres: Poetry, Art, 19th Century, Art History, Nonfiction

573 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1975

Reviews

[Bryn Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the book description: 'For this 2nd edition, Lang has substituted two early Swinburne poems, "The Leper" & "Anactoria," for Fitzgerald's The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám. These poems, which the editor thinks shocking, show a new aspect of Swinburne not discussed previously.'

If Cecil Y. Lang hadn't made this daring step -- albeit with a scare-introduction, and klaxons of content warning -- I wouldn't have discovered 'Anactoria' until much later, perhaps too late. Thanks to Cecil, I cut out the pages of 'Anactoria' from this book (a fair few pages, it's not short) and devoted them to memory. Along with Hamlet's speeches, my main memorisation while still at school. Also he did right to include 'The Leper' which I underappreciated back then but recently re-read and think marvellous.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a class at UCSC and found it a grand collection of poetry.