Full Description
First scholarly edition of Philip James Bailey's epic masterpiece in a readable, modern volume
Offers a general introduction to Bailey's life and work with a thematic guide to the poem that made him famous
Includes a range of critical responses from British and American press
Philip James Bailey's Festus was an artistic sensation in the Victorian period, a best-seller across the Anglophone world and broadly influential on other writers. This edition marks the first time it has been published in over 100 years, featuring the poem's first lineation and a contextualization of its scientific and theological imagery. Scholars and students will benefit from a general introduction to Bailey's life and work with a thematic guide to the poem that made him famous and appendices containing illustrations from period lithography.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Bailey's Life and Career
Early Reception and Influence: British and American
Orientation to Critical Topics
Further Reading
A Note on the Text
Works
Festus: a Poem (1845 American Edition)
Dedication (1838)
Proem
Scenes 1-35
L'Envoi; Appendices
1. Contemporary Critical Responses
2. Illustrations
