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The Romantic Poets
Feelings come alive through the words of the Romantic poets.
Romanticism gained traction in the late 1700s as writers moved away from the intellectualism of the Enlightenment and toward more emotional and natural themes. The major works of the movement’s six most famous poets—William Wordsworth, George Gordon Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, and William Blake—are represented in this handsome Word Cloud Classics volume, The Romantic Poets. One of the largest and most influential artistic movements in history, Romanticism valued intuition and pastoralism, and its themes are well represented in the verse of its stars.
Romanticism gained traction in the late 1700s as writers moved away from the intellectualism of the Enlightenment and toward more emotional and natural themes. The major works of the movement’s six most famous poets—William Wordsworth, George Gordon Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, and William Blake—are represented in this handsome Word Cloud Classics volume, The Romantic Poets. One of the largest and most influential artistic movements in history, Romanticism valued intuition and pastoralism, and its themes are well represented in the verse of its stars.
780 pages, Flexibound
First published November 3, 2005
About the author
John Keats
1,445 books2,554 followersRich melodic works in classical imagery of English poet John Keats include "
The Eve of Saint Agnes
," "
Ode on a Grecian Urn
," and "
To Autumn
," all in 1819.
Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley include "Adonais," an elegy of 1821 to John Keats.
Work of the principal of the Romantic movement of England received constant critical attacks from the periodicals of the day during his short life. He nevertheless posthumously immensely influenced poets, such as Alfred Tennyson. Elaborate word choice and sensual imagery characterize poetry, including a series of odes, masterpieces of Keats among the most popular poems in English literature. Most celebrated letters of Keats expound on his aesthetic theory of "negative capability."
Wikipedia page of the author
Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley include "Adonais," an elegy of 1821 to John Keats.
Work of the principal of the Romantic movement of England received constant critical attacks from the periodicals of the day during his short life. He nevertheless posthumously immensely influenced poets, such as Alfred Tennyson. Elaborate word choice and sensual imagery characterize poetry, including a series of odes, masterpieces of Keats among the most popular poems in English literature. Most celebrated letters of Keats expound on his aesthetic theory of "negative capability."
Wikipedia page of the author
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 2, 2018
Romanticism was an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century (with a peak in the period from 1800 to 1850). It was rooted in the German "Sturm und Drang" movement, but the events and ideologies of the French Revolution also factored in.
Romanticism followed the Age of Enlightenment and was an answer to the aristocratic social and political norms as well as the scientific rationalisation of nature of that period and the Industrial Revolution - in short: modernity. The pendulum always swings back after all. Interestingly, it had a significant and complex effect on politics, with romantic thinkers influencing liberalism, radicalism, conservatism and nationalism.
Themes of Romanticism were not only love itself but also intuition, emotion, individualism, a glorification of the past as well as nature.
There are a number of noteworthy romantic poets, some of them men, some women, but in the English language, there were six key figures: Lord Byron, William Wordsworth, John Keats, William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
The one (female) name worth mentioning from the English-speaking realm, but who is usually left out, is that of Mary Shelley - who (in my opinion) was much better than her "husband" who got a place in this book. Anyway, there were others, too, of course, but the names already mentioned are the big ones that most people nowadays have at least heard of before.
This book, then, collects many of these gentlemen's poems of that era, some well known, some not. Thus, we get great pieces of art such as The Tyger and Auguries of Innocence by Blake, I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud or To a Butterfly by Wordsworth, Kubla Khan and The Knight's Tomb by Coleridge, She Walks in Beauty and Prometheus by Lord Byron, Prometheus Unbound (which is actually a lyrical drama in 4 acts) or Song of Apollo (sometimes also called Hymn of Apollo) by Shelley as well as On Seeing the Elgin Marbles and In Drear Nighted December/Stanzas by Keats.
The Word Cloud Classics or Canterbury Classics are a collection of the most famous classic literature from around the world (novels and poetry alike) and offer a great format with these colorful soft-top editions (it’s the one shelf where I have my books arranged according to color). The cover of this book, by the way, is of lavender color and the roses are in fact blood-red-to-dark-pink shiny/reflective foil. Usually not my thing at all but it seems fitting here (which is always the case for the Word Cloud Classics).
The way the poems are presented, one also gets an insight into the overall body of work of these poets (there is a reason some poems are world-famous while others have never been heard of). However, even taking the „bad“ ones into account, I’m once again reminded that any of these gentlemen (with the exception of Mr. Shelley, maybe) was indeed a master on his worst day even and the range of their work is staggering even though they are all set within the period’s theme.
So while I skimmed a lot of the poems I didn't connect with after a few lines, there was some great craftmanship in this.
While I’m still sad that whoever put this together only included English poets (other countries had great contributions to the Romantic period) and that they left out the one noteworthy female here, this is a nice way to offer readers a comprehensive overview of the period and what it stood for - and who stood for it.
Romanticism followed the Age of Enlightenment and was an answer to the aristocratic social and political norms as well as the scientific rationalisation of nature of that period and the Industrial Revolution - in short: modernity. The pendulum always swings back after all. Interestingly, it had a significant and complex effect on politics, with romantic thinkers influencing liberalism, radicalism, conservatism and nationalism.
Themes of Romanticism were not only love itself but also intuition, emotion, individualism, a glorification of the past as well as nature.
There are a number of noteworthy romantic poets, some of them men, some women, but in the English language, there were six key figures: Lord Byron, William Wordsworth, John Keats, William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Percy Bysshe Shelley.
The one (female) name worth mentioning from the English-speaking realm, but who is usually left out, is that of Mary Shelley - who (in my opinion) was much better than her "husband" who got a place in this book. Anyway, there were others, too, of course, but the names already mentioned are the big ones that most people nowadays have at least heard of before.
This book, then, collects many of these gentlemen's poems of that era, some well known, some not. Thus, we get great pieces of art such as The Tyger and Auguries of Innocence by Blake, I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud or To a Butterfly by Wordsworth, Kubla Khan and The Knight's Tomb by Coleridge, She Walks in Beauty and Prometheus by Lord Byron, Prometheus Unbound (which is actually a lyrical drama in 4 acts) or Song of Apollo (sometimes also called Hymn of Apollo) by Shelley as well as On Seeing the Elgin Marbles and In Drear Nighted December/Stanzas by Keats.
The Word Cloud Classics or Canterbury Classics are a collection of the most famous classic literature from around the world (novels and poetry alike) and offer a great format with these colorful soft-top editions (it’s the one shelf where I have my books arranged according to color). The cover of this book, by the way, is of lavender color and the roses are in fact blood-red-to-dark-pink shiny/reflective foil. Usually not my thing at all but it seems fitting here (which is always the case for the Word Cloud Classics).
The way the poems are presented, one also gets an insight into the overall body of work of these poets (there is a reason some poems are world-famous while others have never been heard of). However, even taking the „bad“ ones into account, I’m once again reminded that any of these gentlemen (with the exception of Mr. Shelley, maybe) was indeed a master on his worst day even and the range of their work is staggering even though they are all set within the period’s theme.
So while I skimmed a lot of the poems I didn't connect with after a few lines, there was some great craftmanship in this.
While I’m still sad that whoever put this together only included English poets (other countries had great contributions to the Romantic period) and that they left out the one noteworthy female here, this is a nice way to offer readers a comprehensive overview of the period and what it stood for - and who stood for it.
May 4, 2026
This volume comprises selected works by William Blake, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and John Keats. Below are micro-reviews for each poet’s body of work as represented in this collection.
William Blake: Largely considered “mad” and a failure during his life, Blake is now viewed as a key figure among the Romantics, one who shunned the rationalism of the age and chose to embrace spirituality and imagination instead. Blake’s poetry strikes me as thoughtful but gentle, painting truths in watercolor. Speaking of, he was also an important visual artist of the age, especially respected for his work as an illustrator.
Some of my favorite pieces from Blake included in this collection were: “The Lamb,” “The Divine Image” and its counterpoint, “A Divine Image,” “The Tyger,” “A Poison Tree,” “I Saw a Chapel All of Gold,” and “Mock on, Mock on, Voltaire, Rousseau.” I was also fascinated by portions of both “Auguries of Innocence” and “Proverbs of Hell.”
William Wordsworth: Wordsworth immediately struck me as have a richer, more tangible spine to his voice after the ethereal quality of Blake's poetry. He, along with Coleridge, really launched the Romantic poetry movement. Wordsworth was by far the most famous of the two during his lifetime. He was politically radical, as most of the Romantic poets were, but those political views never impeded his religious faith.
"Simon Lee, the Old Huntsman" told a story in a way that was easy to follow, and more heartbreaking for that approachability. The same can be said of "We Are Seven." "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is one of his most famous pieces. "The Heart Leaps Up" is brief but powerful in its simplicity. "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" was also especially resonant. And, as a Lewis fan, I found "Surprised by Joy" especially poignant.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Coleridge was a man of depth, one who wore many hats. He was a poet, a philosopher, a critic, and a theologian. His blend of the natural and supernatural in his work is captivating. I've always loved "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It’s full of lines that still fascinate the imagination and echo through modern culture, and it continues to entrance. It also aided in inspiring one of my favorite stories of all time: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
His other best known work, "Kubla Khan," is incredibly melodic and wonderfully evocative to the senses. "Christabel" is an unfinished narrative poem that bridges a supernatural gothic tale with courtly, medieval fantasy. It explores good and evil, innocence and deception, without ever resolving the narrative. The first three lines of "Quae Nocent Docent," in which Coleridge mourns his past waste of time, feel incredibly apt—and even convicting—for life today. Finally, I really enjoyed the short, quippy "Self-Knowledge," which encourages the reader to seek less to know oneself than the One who made you.
Lord Byron: Lord Byron is the least represented in this collection, though he was a larger-than-life public figure whose body of work as well as his persona radically impacted his generation and generations to come. We still describe certain tragic heroes as "Bryonic" figures. And as for his writing, his rhyme and meter tend to be more concrete and easily heard, making them more palatable to the ear than some of his Romantic compatriots.
"She Walks in Beauty" is his most enduring poem, and I’m always captured by the beauty of it. I also really enjoy "When We Two Parted," "We'll No More Go a-Roving," "I Speak Not," and most of his other pieces. "The Destruction of Sennacherib" is beautiful and horrible, visceral and evocative. I was blown away by how clear a picture Byron was able to paint in 24 lines. "Prometheus" moved me, not to an emotional response to a philosophical one. It made me think.
Percy Bysshe Shelley: The most represented of the poets featured in this collection, dominating nearly 400 pages of close to 800 pages in this edition. I've read little to no Shelley in my life up to this point. I really know him only in conjunction with his wife, Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. The only of his poems I remember reading before picking up this collection was "Ozymandias," which I still find evocative and tangible and among his best pieces. I have to say that much of his work, while beautiful and packed with stunning imagery, left me cold in comparison to the other poets represented.
Among the works I enjoyed most were "To Constantia, Singing," "Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills," "The Cloud," "The Mask of Anarchy," "Music, When Soft Voices Die," and "Song to the Men of England". I was incredibly impressed with "The Triumph of Life". The strict adherence to the chain-like terza rima (aba bcb cdc, etc) rhyme scheme across the 547 lines was astounding. This deeply philosophical piece was Shelley’s last major work, left unfinished when he died.
His "Prometheus Unbound," a lyrical drama in four acts, was by far the longest piece in the entire collection at 97 pages. It's considered Shelley’s masterwork, his response to "Prometheus Bound" by Aeschylus, which he also translated. I have to confess that this was a struggle for me to muscle my way through. There are some lovely descriptive lines, but the entire work felt pretentious to me, and like a spiritual forefather to John Lennon’s Imagine and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Which, while I love certain elements of the latter, is entirely contrary to my worldview.
John Keats: The shortest-lived of all the Romantic poets. He was only 25 when he died. Much of his work would have been lost to us, falling out of human memory, were it not for Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose beautifully poetic eulogy for him, "Adonais," brought Keats' own work more into the public eye. Keats and Byron famously couldn't stand each other, which leaves Shelley serving as an interesting bridge for the three later Romantics.
I love how Keats' own bookish love of stories and certain authors like Milton and Spenser shines through so many of his poems, "Ode to Apollo" key among them. It made him feel like a kindred spirit. "Ode to a Nightingale" and "Ode on a Grecian Urn" are arguably his most famous poems. I prefer the latter to the former, as Keats paints a beautifully vivid picture of what the mind might imagine when gazing upon a piece of history. "The Eve of St. Agnes" captivated my imagination. Keats told a lush, evocative story, one that harkened back to medieval times and courtly love. Some of these poems, like "Ode to Melancholy" and "When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be," are even more poignant and heartbreaking in light of his short life.
I also very much enjoyed the following: "O Solitude! If I Must with Thee Dwell," "Keen, Fitful Gusts Are Whisp'ring Here and There," "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," "On the Cricket and the Grasshopper," " To Kosciusko," "A Thing of Beauty," "Bards of Passion and of Mirth," "Lines on Seeing a Lock of Milton's Hair," and "On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again".
William Blake: Largely considered “mad” and a failure during his life, Blake is now viewed as a key figure among the Romantics, one who shunned the rationalism of the age and chose to embrace spirituality and imagination instead. Blake’s poetry strikes me as thoughtful but gentle, painting truths in watercolor. Speaking of, he was also an important visual artist of the age, especially respected for his work as an illustrator.
Some of my favorite pieces from Blake included in this collection were: “The Lamb,” “The Divine Image” and its counterpoint, “A Divine Image,” “The Tyger,” “A Poison Tree,” “I Saw a Chapel All of Gold,” and “Mock on, Mock on, Voltaire, Rousseau.” I was also fascinated by portions of both “Auguries of Innocence” and “Proverbs of Hell.”
William Wordsworth: Wordsworth immediately struck me as have a richer, more tangible spine to his voice after the ethereal quality of Blake's poetry. He, along with Coleridge, really launched the Romantic poetry movement. Wordsworth was by far the most famous of the two during his lifetime. He was politically radical, as most of the Romantic poets were, but those political views never impeded his religious faith.
"Simon Lee, the Old Huntsman" told a story in a way that was easy to follow, and more heartbreaking for that approachability. The same can be said of "We Are Seven." "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is one of his most famous pieces. "The Heart Leaps Up" is brief but powerful in its simplicity. "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" was also especially resonant. And, as a Lewis fan, I found "Surprised by Joy" especially poignant.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Coleridge was a man of depth, one who wore many hats. He was a poet, a philosopher, a critic, and a theologian. His blend of the natural and supernatural in his work is captivating. I've always loved "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It’s full of lines that still fascinate the imagination and echo through modern culture, and it continues to entrance. It also aided in inspiring one of my favorite stories of all time: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
His other best known work, "Kubla Khan," is incredibly melodic and wonderfully evocative to the senses. "Christabel" is an unfinished narrative poem that bridges a supernatural gothic tale with courtly, medieval fantasy. It explores good and evil, innocence and deception, without ever resolving the narrative. The first three lines of "Quae Nocent Docent," in which Coleridge mourns his past waste of time, feel incredibly apt—and even convicting—for life today. Finally, I really enjoyed the short, quippy "Self-Knowledge," which encourages the reader to seek less to know oneself than the One who made you.
Lord Byron: Lord Byron is the least represented in this collection, though he was a larger-than-life public figure whose body of work as well as his persona radically impacted his generation and generations to come. We still describe certain tragic heroes as "Bryonic" figures. And as for his writing, his rhyme and meter tend to be more concrete and easily heard, making them more palatable to the ear than some of his Romantic compatriots.
"She Walks in Beauty" is his most enduring poem, and I’m always captured by the beauty of it. I also really enjoy "When We Two Parted," "We'll No More Go a-Roving," "I Speak Not," and most of his other pieces. "The Destruction of Sennacherib" is beautiful and horrible, visceral and evocative. I was blown away by how clear a picture Byron was able to paint in 24 lines. "Prometheus" moved me, not to an emotional response to a philosophical one. It made me think.
Percy Bysshe Shelley: The most represented of the poets featured in this collection, dominating nearly 400 pages of close to 800 pages in this edition. I've read little to no Shelley in my life up to this point. I really know him only in conjunction with his wife, Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. The only of his poems I remember reading before picking up this collection was "Ozymandias," which I still find evocative and tangible and among his best pieces. I have to say that much of his work, while beautiful and packed with stunning imagery, left me cold in comparison to the other poets represented.
Among the works I enjoyed most were "To Constantia, Singing," "Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills," "The Cloud," "The Mask of Anarchy," "Music, When Soft Voices Die," and "Song to the Men of England". I was incredibly impressed with "The Triumph of Life". The strict adherence to the chain-like terza rima (aba bcb cdc, etc) rhyme scheme across the 547 lines was astounding. This deeply philosophical piece was Shelley’s last major work, left unfinished when he died.
His "Prometheus Unbound," a lyrical drama in four acts, was by far the longest piece in the entire collection at 97 pages. It's considered Shelley’s masterwork, his response to "Prometheus Bound" by Aeschylus, which he also translated. I have to confess that this was a struggle for me to muscle my way through. There are some lovely descriptive lines, but the entire work felt pretentious to me, and like a spiritual forefather to John Lennon’s Imagine and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Which, while I love certain elements of the latter, is entirely contrary to my worldview.
John Keats: The shortest-lived of all the Romantic poets. He was only 25 when he died. Much of his work would have been lost to us, falling out of human memory, were it not for Percy Bysshe Shelley, whose beautifully poetic eulogy for him, "Adonais," brought Keats' own work more into the public eye. Keats and Byron famously couldn't stand each other, which leaves Shelley serving as an interesting bridge for the three later Romantics.
I love how Keats' own bookish love of stories and certain authors like Milton and Spenser shines through so many of his poems, "Ode to Apollo" key among them. It made him feel like a kindred spirit. "Ode to a Nightingale" and "Ode on a Grecian Urn" are arguably his most famous poems. I prefer the latter to the former, as Keats paints a beautifully vivid picture of what the mind might imagine when gazing upon a piece of history. "The Eve of St. Agnes" captivated my imagination. Keats told a lush, evocative story, one that harkened back to medieval times and courtly love. Some of these poems, like "Ode to Melancholy" and "When I Have Fears That I May Cease to Be," are even more poignant and heartbreaking in light of his short life.
I also very much enjoyed the following: "O Solitude! If I Must with Thee Dwell," "Keen, Fitful Gusts Are Whisp'ring Here and There," "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer," "On the Cricket and the Grasshopper," " To Kosciusko," "A Thing of Beauty," "Bards of Passion and of Mirth," "Lines on Seeing a Lock of Milton's Hair," and "On Sitting Down to Read King Lear Once Again".
July 28, 2018
I do like poetry, but I'm not sure the Romantic style is my style. Which, is odd, because I really was expecting to love it. I like it, but it's not something I want to read every day. There are some poems in here I will definitely read again and some I'm never going to read again. But, I feel like I've learned a bit more about this particular style of writing and I gave it a try and found things I do like, so I'm calling it a win. It's a bit hard to give this a rating as there were some poems I loved and some I disliked (nothing I really hated) and there were some poets I definitely liked more than others, but my general feeling towards the book as a whole is about three stars so we'll go with that.
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October 10, 2021FINALLY!
August 14, 2012
Biographies on most (unfortunately not Blake) and great voices that "know how to read verse so the rhythm comes through; the cadences in these poems march, skip, and dance, allowing the structural energies behind the words of these great British poets to be heard clearly." 12 hours of beautiful poetry of Blake, Lord Byron, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley, and Wordsworth.
April 12, 2020
If this collection taught me anything it's that I'm not a fan of long form poetry. I did some liberal skimming in certain sections of this books (here's looking at you Percy Shelley) so maybe some people may think that I'm a bit of a heathen in that respect but I'm at a point of "I like what I like" in my life so what's the point in forcing myself to dreg through things that aren't enjoyable.
Anyway. This book is going to look cute on my shelves and really I think that was what I was thinking when I bought it. The shallow aesthetic wins again.
Anyway. This book is going to look cute on my shelves and really I think that was what I was thinking when I bought it. The shallow aesthetic wins again.
April 28, 2020
A well curated anthology .... It got me hooked for long...... Here I was procastinating the read and the moment I picked it up I was lost in the world of characters that I could bring to life by simply relating the poetry .... Shelley is a delight to read and a quench for the thirsty mind
February 9, 2023
"The Romantic Poets" is a collection of works by three of the most well-known poets of the Romantic era: John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron. The book presents a unique opportunity for readers to delve into the works of these influential poets and explore the themes that defined the Romantic era, such as nature, emotion, and individuality.
John Keats is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era, and his works are characterized by their vivid imagery, intense emotion, and focus on the beauty of nature. In this collection, readers can explore some of Keats' most famous works, such as "Ode to a Nightingale," "Ode to a Grecian Urn," and "To Autumn." These poems are a testament to Keats' mastery of language and his ability to evoke strong emotions in his readers.
Percy Bysshe Shelley is another major figure of the Romantic era, and his works are known for their radical political views, imaginative landscapes, and philosophical themes. In this collection, readers can discover some of Shelley's most famous works, such as "Ode to the West Wind," "To a Skylark," and "Prometheus Unbound." These poems are a testament to Shelley's passion for nature, his commitment to human rights, and his unwavering belief in the power of the human spirit.
Lord Byron was a leading figure of the Romantic era and is widely regarded as one of the most important figures of English literature. In this collection, readers can explore some of Byron's most famous works, such as "She Walks in Beauty," "When We Two Parted," and "Don Juan." These poems are a testament to Byron's wit, his lyrical mastery, and his ability to evoke strong emotions in his readers.
Overall, "The Romantic Poets" is a must-read for anyone interested in the Romantic era and the works of these influential poets. It provides a comprehensive overview of the themes and styles that defined the Romantic era and allows readers to delve into the works of Keats, Shelley, and Byron and gain a deeper understanding of their impact on English literature and culture. Whether you're a seasoned reader or just starting to explore Romantic poetry, this collection is sure to inspire and captivate you.
John Keats is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era, and his works are characterized by their vivid imagery, intense emotion, and focus on the beauty of nature. In this collection, readers can explore some of Keats' most famous works, such as "Ode to a Nightingale," "Ode to a Grecian Urn," and "To Autumn." These poems are a testament to Keats' mastery of language and his ability to evoke strong emotions in his readers.
Percy Bysshe Shelley is another major figure of the Romantic era, and his works are known for their radical political views, imaginative landscapes, and philosophical themes. In this collection, readers can discover some of Shelley's most famous works, such as "Ode to the West Wind," "To a Skylark," and "Prometheus Unbound." These poems are a testament to Shelley's passion for nature, his commitment to human rights, and his unwavering belief in the power of the human spirit.
Lord Byron was a leading figure of the Romantic era and is widely regarded as one of the most important figures of English literature. In this collection, readers can explore some of Byron's most famous works, such as "She Walks in Beauty," "When We Two Parted," and "Don Juan." These poems are a testament to Byron's wit, his lyrical mastery, and his ability to evoke strong emotions in his readers.
Overall, "The Romantic Poets" is a must-read for anyone interested in the Romantic era and the works of these influential poets. It provides a comprehensive overview of the themes and styles that defined the Romantic era and allows readers to delve into the works of Keats, Shelley, and Byron and gain a deeper understanding of their impact on English literature and culture. Whether you're a seasoned reader or just starting to explore Romantic poetry, this collection is sure to inspire and captivate you.
November 3, 2023
This leatherbound book collates the works of Byron, Coleridge, Keats, Blake, Shelley and Wordsworth the pioneers of the Romantic period. Through these pieces, these poets challenge the Enlightenment era a time of scientific discovery and rationality with the Romantic period having an emphasis on emotion, individualism, love and nature. The beautiful and and the sublime being at the forefront of literature. Some notable poems in this collection include Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' or William Wordsworth's 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud.' The protagonist in many of these poems is either fixated on nature, lost in deep thought, curious for love or damned by negative emotions. There are also sweet works of little children and baby animals slotted amongst these larger worlds.
Favourite quotes:
"The sun does rise and make happy the skies; the merry bells ring to welcome the Spring; the skylark and thrush; the birds of the bush, sing louder around to the bells' cheerful sound; while our sports shall be seen on the echoing green."
"Little lamb who made thee? Does thou know who made thee, Gave thee life and bid thee feed; by the stream and o'er the mead; gave thee clothing of delight; softest clothing, woolly, bright; gave thee such a tender voice, making all the vales rejoice? Little lamb who made thee? Does thou know who made thee?"
"When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy and the dimpling stream runs laughing by; when the air does laugh with our merry wit and the green hill laughs with the noise of it."
"Sound the flute! Now its mute! Birds delight, day and night, nightingale in the dale, lark in sky, merrily, merrily merrily to welcome in the year."
"I dreamt a dream I was a maiden queen.:
"Then come home my children, the sun has gone down."
"I went to the garden of love..."
"Strange fits of passion have I known; And I will dare to tell but in the lover's ear alone; what once to me befell. When she I loved looked every day; Fresh as a rose in June. I to her cottage bent my way, beneath an evening moon."
"The frost performs its secret ministry; unhelped by any wind."
"She walks in beauty like the night."
Favourite quotes:
"The sun does rise and make happy the skies; the merry bells ring to welcome the Spring; the skylark and thrush; the birds of the bush, sing louder around to the bells' cheerful sound; while our sports shall be seen on the echoing green."
"Little lamb who made thee? Does thou know who made thee, Gave thee life and bid thee feed; by the stream and o'er the mead; gave thee clothing of delight; softest clothing, woolly, bright; gave thee such a tender voice, making all the vales rejoice? Little lamb who made thee? Does thou know who made thee?"
"When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy and the dimpling stream runs laughing by; when the air does laugh with our merry wit and the green hill laughs with the noise of it."
"Sound the flute! Now its mute! Birds delight, day and night, nightingale in the dale, lark in sky, merrily, merrily merrily to welcome in the year."
"I dreamt a dream I was a maiden queen.:
"Then come home my children, the sun has gone down."
"I went to the garden of love..."
"Strange fits of passion have I known; And I will dare to tell but in the lover's ear alone; what once to me befell. When she I loved looked every day; Fresh as a rose in June. I to her cottage bent my way, beneath an evening moon."
"The frost performs its secret ministry; unhelped by any wind."
"She walks in beauty like the night."
June 18, 2018
There’s something wonderfully soothing about reading poetry. It is relaxing, and lyrical and although it often isn’t as amazingly descriptive, it is a great way to soar through the literary world.
I had forgotten the joys of romanticism. And the ways in which it has completely changed and informed much of the literature that I love and enjoy today.
There’s not much that I can really say about this collection. I will probably pick it up and read parts and writers from time to time to get my poetry fix. This is probably the only time I’ll actually read it cover to cover. There was just something so enjoyable about this first time though…
I had forgotten the joys of romanticism. And the ways in which it has completely changed and informed much of the literature that I love and enjoy today.
There’s not much that I can really say about this collection. I will probably pick it up and read parts and writers from time to time to get my poetry fix. This is probably the only time I’ll actually read it cover to cover. There was just something so enjoyable about this first time though…
August 21, 2017
The Romantic poets are among the most revered and most prolific poets in the history of the English language, and for good reason. This volume collects them all, and it is truly moving to read them back-to-back like this. However, having only begun to scratch the surface of the immense world of poetry, I still enjoy volumes with a bit more curation and interpretation in the publication - perhaps "selected poems by the Romantic poets, with introductions by noted scholars" would have been a better starting point for me. I loved them nonetheless.
September 4, 2025
I LOVED this book soo much, all the poems were so beautifully written. It took me a lil while to finish this because I’ve been busy and I wanted to really understand each poem. But yeah i definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves poetry or wants to start reading poetry!!
May 9, 2017
I'm using this text for a class. I love the Romantic poets, and this collection presents most of their best poems in one place. The glitter roses on the cover are a nice touch, too.
December 6, 2018
I really like this book, more than 1000.
February 21, 2023
I love most of these poets so this was a lovely little collection to read throughout February. 4.5/5 stars
November 26, 2023
Good Nov reading...I've spaced it out as filler after finishing books; but atmosphere right for reading near end of year.
January 18, 2024
A banger
April 17, 2023
It wasn't mixed and matched for pleasurable reading - just arranged by author. And there was a typo (Ode to Duty says "clam'st" where it should be "calm'st" and being Dutch, I thought I just didn't know the word and could not for the life of me find it in any dictionary lol). But the poems in there are wonderful so w/e
August 25, 2016
Great reference book on the 5 major poets of this genre: Keats, Shelley, Byron, Wordsworth and Coleridge.
Contains many classics and is a great book for those who love emotional poetry filled with observation filled with intuition, beauty and nature.
Contains many classics and is a great book for those who love emotional poetry filled with observation filled with intuition, beauty and nature.
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