In this article, Simon Armitage explores some of Ted Hughes's themes and interests and his impact on his own life and work.

The Victorian period heralded a new wave of poetry that was influenced by its Romantic predecessors yet distinctly different. Read articles on how the Victorian poets approached composition, form and language, and what inspired their...

This article introduces some of the key texts of Old English heroic poetry, including Beowulf, The Battle of Maldon, The Dream of the Rood, and Judith.

From morality to migraines: this article analyses key concerns in the late medieval poetry of Robert Henryson and William Dunbar.

Discover close readings, critical interpretations, and personal responses to Shakespeare's sonnets, the poetry of John Donne, and more.

Read an overview of poems by John Donne and view additional resources such as articles and collection items.

Ashley Marshall suggests that there is more to Dryden's satiric poetry than the expression of high-minded moral values. Trace how Dryden's personal vendettas motivated some of the cruder and more vicious attacks in Mac Flecknoe, and how...

British poet Josie Whitehead shares many of her children's poems in both print and in audio on her Listening Page. Whitehead was a career teacher and provides information for teachers and parents about sharing poetry with children.

This is a book review of a poetry collection called 30 Days, by British biologist and poet, Joanna Tilsley. The review contains images of seven pages of poetry from the book. Each page is visually appealing in addition to its poetic...

This biographical note about the World War I poet Rupert Brooke also provides links to full texts of prewar and wartime poems: "A Channel Passage," "The Fish," "Heaven," Helen and Menelaus," and "The War Sonnets."

Lengthy academic essay that argues that traditional poetry, including the heroic couplet, is still relevant in the modern world. While this is discussed, the history of the heroic couplet is provided. A good definition of the term with...

A short definition of the term Heroic Couplet along with a short example from a piece of poetry from Pope's Essay on Criticism.

Listen and follow along as British author Stevie Smith recites her poem "Not Waving but Drowning."

This introductory note to 20th century British literature presents links to informative sites for student research and lists of authors.

Don't miss out on learning more about the female poets of the British Romantic Period. This University of California Davis site provides links to text and information on British women poets of the Romantic Era, many of which are unknown...

This is a great and informative site. This instructional activity uses Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade" and Noyes's "The Highwayman" to teach vivid imagery and figurative language. Don't miss out.

The poems in the Exeter Book known as the 'Old English elegies' focus on loss, separation, and the transience of earthly things. This article explores these poems, which include The Wanderer and The Wife's Lament, and highlights the...

This annotated collection of poems focuses on the theme of war in the late 1700s. Good for an interdisciplinary look at British history or for a literary exploration of war as a theme.

From Romantic poetry to Gothic horror, from depictions of poverty and industrialization to portrayals of the middle classes, and from crime fiction to fin de siecle decadence: the literary works of the Romantic and Victorian periods...

A wistful biography of Edward Thomas, a poet before World War I, who wrote poetry and many letters during his time in the British Army before his death in France. Find hyperlinks to his works and copies of his manuscripts.

This site contains links to selected poems by John Gay. Also included is some biography details about him.

The Civil Wars and the Restoration of the monarchy, the Enlightenment or 'Age of Reason', and British colonialism: investigate the political and religious contexts of Restoration and 18th-century literature.

This is an online photocopy of the original text of the children's book Routledge's British Primer (1888). It is an illustrated textbook for young children including the letters of the alphabet, numbers, spelling, syllabication, poetry,...

This article explores Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and reflects on how he approached his own translation of the poem.