Would it not be fascinating to compare the poetry of Donne’s conversion struggles from Roman Catholic to Anglican with the poetry of G M Hopkins’ conversion from Anglican to Roman Catholic? I believe Hopkins burnt much of his pre-conversion poetry though, so I’m unsure how insightful it would be. Or one could compare T S Eliot’s religious poetry during his ‘conversion’ from Unitarian to Anglo-Catholic. Someone looking for a research topic could potentially find some fruitful material in the poetry of conversion experience.
Ooo, oh yes, that would be an excellent thesis! We could also throw in Henry Vaughan's conversion while reading Herbert's The Temple. Add Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, too, since that's more of a conversion poem than it is a shipwreck story.
So interesting. As a college student I studied literature. I was raised a Catholic, and sadly, I was biblically illiterate when I entered the university. I was steeped in church doctrine, but had never held a Bible. I struggled to perceive the allusions and metaphors in all that I studied. I remember a poetry class taught by a wonderful professor who loved Donne and Herbert and 17th century religious poetry. He was saddened by our lack of insight, our biblical blindness. Later in college, some friends opened the Bible with me and I left the Catholic church and joined a Protestant church. I've now been reading the Bible for 30 years, and finally I'm able to deeply and genuinely enjoy the poetry Professor Dean wanted so much to share with us. Thanks so much for sharing your love for poetry with us as well.
Great work as always! I know your expertise is in the classic works, but it would be great to see you try your hand at contemporary poetry as well! You might enjoy some of the New Formalists if you prefer to stick a little closer to home, or poets in-between from the 20th century.
Really delighted I stumbled on your channel. Keep up the good work.
Would it not be fascinating to compare the poetry of Donne’s conversion struggles from Roman Catholic to Anglican with the poetry of G M Hopkins’ conversion from Anglican to Roman Catholic? I believe Hopkins burnt much of his pre-conversion poetry though, so I’m unsure how insightful it would be. Or one could compare T S Eliot’s religious poetry during his ‘conversion’ from Unitarian to Anglo-Catholic. Someone looking for a research topic could potentially find some fruitful material in the poetry of conversion experience.
Ooo, oh yes, that would be an excellent thesis! We could also throw in Henry Vaughan's conversion while reading Herbert's The Temple. Add Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, too, since that's more of a conversion poem than it is a shipwreck story.
So interesting. As a college student I studied literature. I was raised a Catholic, and sadly, I was biblically illiterate when I entered the university. I was steeped in church doctrine, but had never held a Bible. I struggled to perceive the allusions and metaphors in all that I studied. I remember a poetry class taught by a wonderful professor who loved Donne and Herbert and 17th century religious poetry. He was saddened by our lack of insight, our biblical blindness. Later in college, some friends opened the Bible with me and I left the Catholic church and joined a Protestant church. I've now been reading the Bible for 30 years, and finally I'm able to deeply and genuinely enjoy the poetry Professor Dean wanted so much to share with us. Thanks so much for sharing your love for poetry with us as well.
I'm a Baptist and this was very intrestresting to hear.
Great work as always! I know your expertise is in the classic works, but it would be great to see you try your hand at contemporary poetry as well! You might enjoy some of the New Formalists if you prefer to stick a little closer to home, or poets in-between from the 20th century.