Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
W. W. Norton & Company (2005), Edition: Full Fifth, 2256 pages
Description
"Offering over one thousand years of verse from the medieval period to the present, The Norton Anthology of Poetry is the classroom standard for the study of poetry in English. The Sixth Edition retains the flexibility and breadth of selection that has defined this classic anthology, while improved and expanded editorial apparatus make it an even more useful teaching tool"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member vlodko62
At the end of the end of the 1960 film, The Time Machine, the hero, George Wells, returns to the future taking three books from his library with him. Viewers are left to ponder which three books he takes - it's never revealed. If it had been me, this would be one of the books.
The Norton Anthology
If there is any doubt about its greatness, let me show you that it contains as much of both the sacred and the profane as the Bible:
Alexander Pope:
"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan,
The proper study of mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A being darkly wise and rudely great:
With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic’s pride,
He hangs between, in doubt to act or rest;
In doubt to deem himself a God or Beast;
In doubt his mind or body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas’ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little or too much;
Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;
Still by himself abused or disabused;
Created half to rise, and half to fall:
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl’d;
The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!"
Ogden Nash:
"The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other, milk."
Genius, sheer genius.
The Norton Anthology
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is a part of who I am. It opened - and continues to open - doors into some of the great literary minds of our culture. A starting point from which you can go on and learn more (i.e., don't stop with this book!).If there is any doubt about its greatness, let me show you that it contains as much of both the sacred and the profane as the Bible:
Alexander Pope:
"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan,
The proper study of mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A being darkly wise and rudely great:
With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic’s pride,
He hangs between, in doubt to act or rest;
In doubt to deem himself a God or Beast;
In doubt his mind or body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas’ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little or too much;
Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;
Still by himself abused or disabused;
Created half to rise, and half to fall:
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl’d;
The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!"
Ogden Nash:
"The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other, milk."
Genius, sheer genius.
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LibraryThing member akimkabo
A nice overview, but I found the editor's formalist views a bit tiresome. Ms. Mary Jo Salter honestly believes that a poem is not a poem unless it is strapped with form.
LibraryThing member hansel714
It would have been an amazing anthology with a little restructuring: (1) The biographical details of the poets are placed at the start of their poems instead of an appendix at the end of the book (it's very troublesome to keep flipping); (2) the poems are grouped according to the movements/periods
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(Romanticism, Victorianism, Transcendentalism, Beat, American, British, etc) instead of the chronological birth dates of the poets; and (3) an inclusion of introduction (just a page or two) of the concerns within each movements. Show Less
LibraryThing member jpsnow
Lots of poems of course. I still don't "get" poetry, but this certainly broadened by exposure and deepened my appreciate.
Predominant themes/recurring terms: the classics, other great poets (especially Donne, Jonson, and Shakespeare), heros, flowers, beauty, religion, death, childhood, love, sex,
Predominant themes/recurring terms: the classics, other great poets (especially Donne, Jonson, and Shakespeare), heros, flowers, beauty, religion, death, childhood, love, sex,
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war, grass, spiders, and owls. Reading in chronological order forces one to wonder whether we have become that much more cynical over time or whether every age sees more inspiring poems as better in retrospect. Show Less
LibraryThing member gaspodog
This book contains an excellent selection of poems spanning the entire history of poetry in English. Many old favourites are present, along with a good range of less well known material giving a broad overview of the subject matter. The only criticism I would level is that the editorial viewpoint
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is somewhat traditional and occasionally narrow. Editorial material aside however, this remains a quintessential collection for anybody interested in broadening their exposure to poetry. Show Less
LibraryThing member Czrbr
Book Description: New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 1973. stated 1st edition, dark blue cloth, lettered in silver on spine, tall 8vo, fine in clipped, Mylar wrapped dj, 1456pp.
LibraryThing member jwhenderson
The most comprehensive anthology of poetry that I have encountered. Covering several centuries of poetry it includes all the great lyrical poems and many more to entertain and educate the poetry lover. It is a wonderful reference and companion for any literature lover -- with a chronological
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organization it is easy to dip into the collection from time to time. In this book you can find some of your favorite poems, but more importantly you can expand your range of poetic interest, find new favorites, and learn about different approaches to the poetic art. I read this as part of the Basic Program of Liberal Education at The University of Chicago and continue to enjoy the poems selected for this anthology. Show Less
Original language
English
Original publication date
1996
2018
Physical description
9.2 inches
ISBN
9780393979206