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Edward Thomas as a Critic
Zikmund, Jan ; Quinn, Justin (advisor) ; Longley, Edna (referee)
1 Abstract Long overlooked, the poetry of Edward Thomas (1878-1917) has enjoyed wide recognition in the past few decades. The same cannot be said of Thomas's criticism. Though he worked as a literary journalist for almost a decade and a half, critics have mainly focused on the final years of his life when, after the outset of the First World War, he voluntarily enlisted in the Artist's Rifles and began writing poetry. He died in France, at the Battle of Arras. Since his youth, Thomas suffered from depression, possibly made worse by the demands of his profession (some years he reviewed over a hundred books). In contrast, the last stretch of his life seems to have been more fulfilling. Not only did military training prove beneficial for his mental health, but - encouraged by a number of his friends, including Robert Frost and W. H. Hudson - he metamorphosed from overworked hack-writer (as some still refer to him) to outstanding poet. As most of his criticism precedes his poetry, scholars usually look at Thomas's reviews, anthologies, and literary studies to better understand his 144 poems. While it is important to explore the links between his poetry and rest of his work, Thomas's criticism is strong and extensive enough to be considered independently of the poetry. His books and articles may illuminate his...
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