[gp]

I recently came upon the 3 vol Saintsbury's History of English Prosody at a used book store and snatched it up immediately.

For this reader it appears a bit daunting, but I'm going for it.

Just wondering if any of you have any comments on this work: its significance, its biases, the juicy parts, etc.

Thanks,
~Greg

[graywyvern]

this is one of the monuments of English poetry
criticism. S. has read everything, & knows the
languages of the other traditions that influenced
ours. he also has the feel for cadence of a real
poet. my only complaint is if you are trying to
go back & find something you read in it before,
there's just so much volume of text to plow
through.

[Tim Murphy]

Good for you, Greg. Saintsbury's is the grand old text, although I'd argue that in and for our times, it has been surpassed by Tim Steele's "All The Fun's In How You Say A Thing."

[gp]

Thanks graywyvern and Tim

I've read Steele's book and agree. Of all the books I've read on meter, his helped me most to understand every little millimeter, or a number of them at least.

But I'm interested in a history of poetry through the looking glass of meter. Most overviews of poetry treat the poems as mini-philosophical tracts. And that's fine. But it leaves out a very important dimension. And I'm hoping Mr.Saintsbury can fill in some of those.

~Greg

[hector]

If Steele's book is better than Hollander's Rhyme's Reasons it must be phenomenal!

[Clive Watkins]

The most valuable account I have come across of the origins of accentual-syllabic metres in English in the sixteenth century is John Thompson’s The Founding of English Metre (New York, Columbia University Press, and London, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1966). I would recommend it before Saintsbury, not least because it is shorter.

There is a fascinating account of the origins and nature of such metres, as symbol-systems, in Antony Easthope’s Poetry As Discourse (London, Methuen, 1983). The relevant chapters are "Iambic Pentameter", "The Feudal Ballad" and "The Founding Moment".

Both books are available secondhand; both should be available from libraries, certainly in the UK.

Clive Watkins

[gp]

Hector

I thought Steele was more thorough than Hollander.


Clive

I have read Thompson and agree with your estimate, but it deals with the beginnings only. I'm looking for a more comprehensive history. Although, maybe someone out there should write an addendum to Saintsbury for the 20th century.

I'll look for the Easthope.

Thanks,
~Greg

[Roger Slater]

I'd definitely place Steele's book above Hollander's.

Having recently re-read Hollander's, I find it amusing and fun...but only because I had a basic education from reading Steele. Hollander "covers" everything, but very quickly and with no analysis or reflection. Steele doesn't just describe but explains.

Also, Hollander got a bit too carried away in his book with penning his own (often humorous) examples of different kinds of metrical effects and different forms. Personally, I prefer examples from a wide variety of fine poets and when I study sonnets, for example, I'd like to see some Shakespeare or Frost Wordsworth or Keat or Wilbur, etc., rather than a clever ad hoc creation by Hollander.

Hollander does explore more different kinds of form than Steele does. Steele concentrates on metrics, not form.

I'd also recommend Pinsky's "The Sound of Poetry," which I found to be remarkably insightful and clearly the work of someone who has read, loved and thought about poetry. It is extremely basic, though, eschewing almost all technical terms. But it's a quick and fun and educational read.