Terence, This Is Stupid Stuff (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: A. E. Housman
- First Published: 1896
- Type of Work: Meditation
- Genres: Poetry, Meditation
- Subjects: Mythology or myths, Poetry or poets, Mental illness, England or English people, Alcohol, Death or dying, Health, Poisons or poisoning, Happiness, Joy or sorrow, Patience
The Poem
“Terence, This Is Stupid Stuff” takes its title from the first line of poem sixty-two of A. E. Housman’s first and most important collection of poems, A Shropshire Lad. The poem is divided into four verses of varying length and purpose that, taken together, provide an apology or defense of what is generally regarded as Housman’s pessimistic poetry.
The speaker of the first stanza addresses the poet’s persona, Terence, who is the ostensible author of the preceding poems. Clearly, the speaker is unhappy with the sort of poetry Terence composes. In...
[The entire page is 1867 words long]
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