George Darley

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George Darley (* 1795 in Dublin , † November 23, 1846 in London ) was an Irish poet , writer and literary critic. He was little appreciated by his contemporaries and was long considered difficult to read. However, writers of the 20th century admire his dream worlds and the symbolism that he uses in his unfinished lyrical epic “Nepenthe” (1835) as a stylistic element to awaken inner consciousness.

Career

Darley attended Trinity College in Dublin and after completing his education decided to pursue a literary career. He went to London in 1820 and published his first poem there in 1822 , "Errors of Ecstasy". He also wrote under the pseudonym John Lacy for the literary London Magazine . This magazine also featured his best story, "Lilian of the Vale". Other publications followed, including the poem "Sylvia, or The May Queen" in 1827. After a while he moved to Athenaeum magazine , where he proved to be an astute literary critic.

Darley also worked as a playwright , studied old English plays and published works by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher in 1840 . His creations were so steeped in the spirit of the 17th century that his poem "It is not beauty I desire" was included in the first edition of the Golden Treasury by Francis Turner Palgrave as lyrics by an unknown poet from this period.

In the literary field Darley was largely denied recognition, but he showed remarkable talent as a mathematician and published various successful textbooks.

Works (selection)

Fiction
  • Donald H. Reiman (Ed.): Errors of Ecstasy. Sylvia, or the may queen. Nepenthe . Garland, New York 1978, ISBN 0-8240-2144-4 .
  • Ethestan or the battle of Brunanburg. A dramatic chronicle in five actes . Chadwyck-Healey, Cambridge 1994 (reprinted London 1841 edition)
  • Thomas à Beckett. A dramatic chronicle in 5 actes . Edwards, London 1840.
Non-fiction
  • A system of popular algebra . Taylor, London 1827.
  • Familiar astronomy . Taylor, London 1830.

Literature (selection)

swell

  • Encyclopædia Britannica: Britannica CD 99 Multimedia Edition

Web links