Overview

William Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth in the Lake District. His Lyrical Ballads, written in collaboration with Samuel Coleridge, was published in 1798, and shortly afterwards he settled in Dove Cottage, Grasmere, with his sister Dorothy. Inspired in his early adulthood by the French Revolution, he grew disillusioned with revolutionary politics and in later life became decidedly conservative. He left a vast body of work, ranging from delicately simple lyrics to deeply meditative odes, his most fully realized work being The Prelude.

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9781094017273

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Reviews

""Oliver Ford Davies and Jasper Britton bring cultured accents and theatrical experience to the readings of this selection of poems by William Wordsworth. Davies's more mature voice alternating with Britton's younger one enables listeners to understand the flowery language and poetic conventions of the late eighteenth century. With perfect pacing and a wide range of emotions, the speakers perform works that vary in topic--from the appreciation of natural beauty in the Lake District of England to the more enigmatic blank verse of 'The Prelude.' The poems are elegantly presented and organized but are not too precious--as evidenced by the country ghost story 'Goody Blake and Harry Gill, ' which is included. This collection is a delight in every way."" -- ""AudioFile""

Oliver Ford Davies and Jasper Britton bring cultured accents and theatrical experience to the readings of this selection of poems...with perfect pacing and a wide range of emotions...Elegantly presented and organized...This collection is a delight in every way. -- Audiofile

Author Information

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was an influential English poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped launch the Romantic Age of English literature with the 1798 joint publication of Lyrical Ballads. He was Britain's Poet Laureate from 1843 until his death in 1850. Oliver Ford Davies has, over the last forty years, become one of the world's most esteemed actors. He spent twelve years with the Royal Shakespeare Company and won the Olivier Award for Best Actor while at the National Theatre. His television work includes Kavanagh QC, Inspector Morse, David Copperfield, and Sparkling Cyanide; his films include The Mother, Johnny English, Mrs. Brown, and Atonement. Jasper Britton took the lead in the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Richard III and has also worked for the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. His television appearances include The Bill and Peak Practice, and he has narrated several audiobooks.

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