Poems of Arthur Hugh Clough (eBook)

Arthur Hugh Clough was a distinguished 19th-century English poet, an intellectual force of the Victorian era, known for his unique poetic style that often intertwined skepticism with romanticism. Born on January 1, 1819, in Liverpool, Clough's family moved to the United States during his childhood, but they returned to England in 1828. He later attended Rugby School and won a scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford. Clough's relationship with the prominent educational reformer and headmaster of Rugby, Dr. Thomas Arnold, profoundly influenced his critical approach towards institutional religion and traditional Victorian values. Clough's poetic oeuvre is not extensive but is noted for its early preoccupation with doubt, reflecting the spirit of inquiry during the Victorian crisis of faith and the impact of scientific discoveries on traditional beliefs. His collection 'Poems of Arthur Hugh Clough' embodies his distinctively unorthodox views, eschewing the didacticism of his contemporaries in favor of a nuanced exploration of moral and philosophical ambivalence. His works like 'Dipsychus', 'The Bothie of Tober-na-Vuolich', and the shorter poems such as 'Say not the Struggle naught Availeth' reveal his propensity for social concern and introspective depth, with a poetic style that oscillates between lyricism and narrative. Clough's literary contributions remained relatively undervalued until later critics recognized the modernity of his voice and the cerebral quality of his verse. Clough passed away at the age of 42, on November 13, 1861, in Florence, Italy, but his legacy endures through the critical re-evaluation of his work, which continues to resonate with readers and scholars appreciating the prescient, probing nature of his poetry.