Really enjoyable post, James. I lived in Grantchester for a while and am very aware of Brooke but didn’t know some of the writing you cite here. He’s limited, perhaps (as are many of his critics) but he’s also technically excellent and might have really joined the greats if he hadn’t died so young. Who knows what war poetry he might have left us! RIP.
When I was a teenager I absolutely adored Brooke's love poems, although many of them seemed to suggest that he could be a bit of an arse! I haven't read them for many years, but I often quote the last dozen lines of Grantchester to myself. Recently I read a biography of the Labour politician Hugh Dalton and discovered how close they were, possibly even lovers? while at Cambridge ...
Thanks, Sarah. At his best, Rupert Brooke was a brilliant poet - he wrote some absolute gems! I wasn't aware of his connection to Hugh Dalton, but, throughout his life, he loved being adored by both women and men, so that's totally possible. He was such a complex character. On the one side, witty, charismatic and gregarious. On the other, deeply insecure and controlling. An amazing life though. ✨️
"If I should die, think only this of me..." As I've lived most of my life away from my native England and plan to continue that way, these lines have an extra resonance for me.
Jacob's Room is one of my favourites of Virginia Woolf's books, and it's hard not to recognise Brooke in the character of Jacob.
Thanks, Jeffrey! Having lived abroad in the past, I can understand completely why that poem resonates so strongly with you just now. Jacob's Room is such a brilliant book. One of my favourites! And, you're so right, Virginia Woolf's friendship with Rupert Brooke must have shaped it. 🌿✨️
Definitely, especially thinking about when it was written. In some, albeit very different ways, like Edward Thomas's poems, in a war zone, dreaming where he'd rather be.
Interesting post, James. It’s funny how some of these poems just take me right back to my school days. We ‘did’ the war poets for O-level English Literature and I enjoyed learning about them. But we never really learned much about the poets themselves so your post adds a nice bit of background.
Thanks, Yasmin! Great to hear that you enjoyed it. Yeah, it's fascinating how learning about the lives of writers/artists can change our perception of their work. For me, great writing/art transcends the life of its creator, but, in Rupert Brooke's case, he was mythologised for years, so it's really interesting to look at his poems from a wider perspective. Such a complex character!
Really enjoyable post, James. I lived in Grantchester for a while and am very aware of Brooke but didn’t know some of the writing you cite here. He’s limited, perhaps (as are many of his critics) but he’s also technically excellent and might have really joined the greats if he hadn’t died so young. Who knows what war poetry he might have left us! RIP.
Thanks, Thomas! Yeah, his death was so tragic. Amazing that you lived in Grantchester for a time! 🌿✨️
When I was a teenager I absolutely adored Brooke's love poems, although many of them seemed to suggest that he could be a bit of an arse! I haven't read them for many years, but I often quote the last dozen lines of Grantchester to myself. Recently I read a biography of the Labour politician Hugh Dalton and discovered how close they were, possibly even lovers? while at Cambridge ...
Thanks, Sarah. At his best, Rupert Brooke was a brilliant poet - he wrote some absolute gems! I wasn't aware of his connection to Hugh Dalton, but, throughout his life, he loved being adored by both women and men, so that's totally possible. He was such a complex character. On the one side, witty, charismatic and gregarious. On the other, deeply insecure and controlling. An amazing life though. ✨️
Great post, James.
"If I should die, think only this of me..." As I've lived most of my life away from my native England and plan to continue that way, these lines have an extra resonance for me.
Jacob's Room is one of my favourites of Virginia Woolf's books, and it's hard not to recognise Brooke in the character of Jacob.
Thanks, Jeffrey! Having lived abroad in the past, I can understand completely why that poem resonates so strongly with you just now. Jacob's Room is such a brilliant book. One of my favourites! And, you're so right, Virginia Woolf's friendship with Rupert Brooke must have shaped it. 🌿✨️
Definitely, especially thinking about when it was written. In some, albeit very different ways, like Edward Thomas's poems, in a war zone, dreaming where he'd rather be.
That’s so true. In case you haven’t spotted it yet, I posted a short piece about Edward Thomas a few months ago. https://open.substack.com/pub/jamesleeauthor/p/under-the-dark-clouds-of-war-the?r=1hzapt&utm_medium=ios
Thank you James. I had missed that, so will have a read.
I love how sensory his description of Spain is, the smells and curves and corners.
Thanks, Andy. Yeah, me too. It’s really evocative. And so poignant. ✨
Hey, what a cool post.
Hollinghurst is good on the Brooke-figure in his The Stranger’s Child.
Thanks, Nicolas! I read The Stranger's Child years ago. Gonna read it again now.
Interesting post, James. It’s funny how some of these poems just take me right back to my school days. We ‘did’ the war poets for O-level English Literature and I enjoyed learning about them. But we never really learned much about the poets themselves so your post adds a nice bit of background.
Thanks, Yasmin! Great to hear that you enjoyed it. Yeah, it's fascinating how learning about the lives of writers/artists can change our perception of their work. For me, great writing/art transcends the life of its creator, but, in Rupert Brooke's case, he was mythologised for years, so it's really interesting to look at his poems from a wider perspective. Such a complex character!