My Cat, Jeoffry (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Christopher Smart
- First Published: 1759
- Type of Work: Meditation
- Genres: Poetry, Meditation
- Subjects: God, Mental illness, Cats, England or English people, Eighteenth century, Pets, Animals
The Poem
One of the most delightful and best-known poems in praise of a house cat, Christopher Smart’s “My Cat, Jeoffry” is actually one section of a much more complex and difficult work entitled Jubilate Agno (Latin for “Rejoice in the Lamb”), composed while the poet was locked in a private madhouse because of religious mania in 1759 or 1760. Despite the bad reputation of eighteenth century hospitals for the insane (which Bedlam, for instance, deserves), Smart’s institution was liberal and his time there not totally unpleasant. Already a well-known writer,...
[The entire page is 1531 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
See Also
