The Unknown Eros

Patmore, Coventry, 1823-1896Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 120K words
Chapters: 12

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Unknown Eros by Coventry PatmoreAuthor: Patmore, Coventry, 1823-1896,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 7, 2004

Editor's review

The Unknown Eros is a poetry collection by the English poet Coventry Patmore, in the English literature category, released free by Project Gutenberg. Patmore is known for long poems and lyric poetry; this collection gathers his poems on themes of eros and spiritual relationship, with condensed language and dense imagery, carrying the speculative temper of Victorian poetry. The point of reading this collection is not plot but experiencing how the poet uses rhythm and metaphor to handle the interweaving of emotion and faith. The electronic edition is convenient for repeated searching and comparative reading, and suits use as supplementary material for a专题 on English poetry. Note that this is a public-domain e-text without modern notes; some allusions and diction are somewhat distant for contemporary readers, so reference books or introductory materials are recommended. Overall, it is better suited to readers with some experience of English poetry, to be read slowly and savored.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literature readers interested in Victorian English poetry
University students who need public-domain English poetry collections for专题 study
Readers willing to read slowly and savor, attentive to poetic language and imagery
Advanced English learners who want to broaden their reading of English poetry

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for strongly narrative works
Beginners with little experience reading English poetry who need line-by-line annotation
Readers who prefer contemporary colloquial expression

Reading tips

Choose one or two short poems first and read them aloud to feel the rhythm and rhyme, then move on to the long poems.
Keep paper and pen to note recurring images, and look back at how they develop after finishing.
Do not insist on understanding every word; first grasp each poem's emotional direction and core metaphors.
Compare with works by other Victorian poets to appreciate differences in style.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is there a Chinese translation of this poetry collection?

This is the English original e-book released by Project Gutenberg and contains no Chinese translation. For comparative reading, look for a relevant translation or introductory materials yourself.

What background do I need to read this collection?

Moderate or better English reading ability is recommended, along with some sensitivity to the rhythm and metaphor of English poetry. If you are new to Victorian poetry, start with selected passages and work gradually deeper.

Does the electronic edition have notes?

This public-domain e-text generally does not include modern notes; some allusions and diction require reference books or background materials to understand, so have a dictionary and relevant introductions on hand while reading.

Comments

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About the author

Patmore, Coventry, 1823-1896 Author

Coventry Patmore (1823-1896) was a poet of the Victorian period. Public information about his life is limited in Chinese-language sources, and his work is best approached through the four titles held in this collection. The Angel in the House, a sequence on domestic life and married love, is written in a warm and lucid style; it was the most widely read of his books during his lifetime and helped make him a representative voice of the domestic ideal in Victorian poetry. The Victories of Love, and Other Poems continues in a similar lyrical and narrative vein. The Unknown Eros turns to more compressed and meditative lyric poetry, treating love and religious faith, and its style differs markedly from the earlier work; later critics often cite it when discussing the development of his art. He also wrote on art and criticism, notably in Principle in Art, Etc.