The Romantics and the May Day TraditionThis important contribution to both Romantic and cultural studies situates literature by Wordsworth, Southey, Hunt, Clare, and Blake within the context of folklore and popular customs associated with May Day. Romantic responses to May Day bring into focus a range of issues now regarded as central to the writing of the period - the natural world, city life, the pastoral, regional and national identities, popular culture, cultural degeneration, and cultural difference. Essaka Joshua explores new connections between these issues in the context of a set of heterogeneous cultural practices that are rooted in the traditions and activities of diverse social groups. She shows how Romantic writers have positioned themselves in relation to what has become known as the public sphere, and the way in which they articulate an understanding of the common sphere as a site of plebeian self-expression. Joshua's nuanced account acknowledges the full complexity of class formations and inter-class relationships and permits noncanonical and canonical texts such as the Prelude, Songs of Innocence and Experience, and 'The Village Minstrel' to be reinterpreted in a cultural context that has not been previously explored by literary critics. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Precious Rites and Customs The Lake Poets | 27 |
Very Fond of Nature Very Fond of Art Leigh Hunt and May Day | 69 |
May Day in the City William Blake | 89 |
A Greater Fame than Poets Ever Knew John Clare and Common Fame | 115 |
Conclusion | 135 |
| 139 | |
| 149 | |
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Common terms and phrases
activity antiquarian appears argues aristocratic associated authenticity authority Blake Book bourgeois boys calls celebration century child chimney clare classical close coleridge common sphere concerned connection contemporary continues critical culture customs dance decline describes descriptions discussion early england example Experience expressed fame festival flowers folklore gives green hunt hunt’s ibid implies important indicative Innocence interest John Clare Lake Lamb later Letters literary literature London may-day natural world nevertheless notes Observations origins oxford particular past pastoral peasant period play poem poet poetry political popular practices Prelude present public sphere records reference reveals revival rituals Robert Romantic rural season seen sense shepherd significance social society Songs southey southey’s spring stories suggests sweeps sweet symbolism takes texts tradition tree understanding University Press urban village vols Wordsworth writing