F. T. Prince Criticism
F. T. Prince, a South African-born English poet and scholar, is renowned for his refined poetic craftsmanship and diverse thematic interests. Although his poem Soldiers Bathing is celebrated as one of the finest individual works to emerge from World War II, it is somewhat atypical of Prince's broader oeuvre, which often delves into complex metaphors and themes reminiscent of John Donne, as noted Here and Now. His poetry, which includes collections such as The Doors of Stone, showcases a literary prowess that extends beyond his celebrated war poetry.
Prince's work traverses a wide array of subjects, such as the empathetic portrayal of Hasidism in Drypoints of the Hasidim. This particular work reflects influences from poets like Pound and Eliot while maintaining an accessible scholarship, as examined by Anne Stevenson in Waiting for the Apeman. Additionally, Prince's poetry often explores themes of art and love through innovative monologues and moral insights, establishing new literary forms in English poetry, as highlighted by Peter Levi.
While Ben Howard in Chords and Keys commends Prince for his mastery of diverse poetic forms and themes, Donald Davie critiques his focus on themes beyond the "here-and-now," which, according to Davie, diminishes the impact of his work after Soldiers Bathing, a poem recognized for its vivid specificity. Prince's poetic legacy is marked by a balance of scholarly depth and artistic innovation, engaging both the literary conventions of the Renaissance lyricists and the evolving modernist movement.
Contents
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Here and Now
(summary)
The critic contends that F. T. Prince's broader poetic achievements, characterized by his refined love poetry and complex metaphors reminiscent of Donne, are unjustly overshadowed by the popular yet atypical and prosaic war poem "Soldiers Bathing," noting that his work in The Doors of Stone reveals a deeper literary prowess.
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Waiting for the Apeman
(summary)
In the following essay, Anne Stevenson examines F. T. Prince's Drypoints of the Hasidim, highlighting its empathetic portrayal of an 18th-century Jewish sect, its accessible scholarship, and its influences from Pound and Eliot, while noting its impressive scope despite its more modest ambitions compared to those poets' major works.
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F. T. Prince
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In the following essay, Peter Levi praises F. T. Prince for his distinguished poetic craftsmanship, highlighting the profound impact of Prince's works, such as Drypoints of the Hasidim and Afterword on Rupert Brooke, which blend moral insight with artistic innovation, establishing new literary forms in English poetry.
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Beyond the Here and Now
(summary)
In the following essay, Donald Davie critiques F. T. Prince's poetic focus on the "beyond" rather than the "here-and-now," arguing that this approach limits the impact and relevance of his work post-"Soldiers Bathing," which is celebrated for its vivid specificity.
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Chords and Keys
(summary)
In the following essay, Ben Howard explores the breadth and depth of F. T. Prince's poetic oeuvre, praising his mastery of diverse forms and themes, notably his monologues on art and love, while acknowledging occasional reliance on literary conventions reminiscent of Renaissance lyricists.