George Henry Boker

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George Henry Boker Criticism

George Henry Boker (1823-1890) was a prominent American playwright and poet, known for his contributions to 19th-century dramatic arts. Despite his contemporaries' focus on developing an American national literature, Boker often set his works in European, medieval, or early modern contexts, as seen in his widely discussed play, Francesca da Rimini. Born into a notable Philadelphia Quaker family, Boker pursued law before shifting to a literary career, publishing his first poetry collection in 1848 and a play shortly after. He became an integral figure in Philadelphia's literary circles alongside peers like R. H. Stoddard and Bayard Taylor.

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