Gordon Bottomley's life was a tapestry woven with seclusion, literary correspondence, and quiet resilience. Despite his retreat from the bustling literary scene of London, he remained an influential figure among the Georgian poets and dramatists. His work, deeply rooted in Celtic and Pre-Raphaelite influences, offered a bridge from the poetic past to modern sensibilities.

Early Life and Education

Born to Alfred and Ann Maria Bottomley in Yorkshire, Gordon Bottomley grew up in a household connected to the textile industry. His father worked as a cashier in a worsted mill, providing a stable environment that enabled Gordon to attend Keighley Grammar School. After completing his education, Bottomley embarked on a career as a bank clerk. However, his professional life was cut short by illness, leading him to adopt a more secluded existence.

Marriage and Settling Down

In 1905, Bottomley found companionship in Emily Burton from Arnside, whom he married. The couple chose a tranquil life, finally settling in 1914 at The Shieling, Silverdale, near Carnforth in Lancashire. Their lifestyle involved long vacations in North Wales and frequent stays with literary acquaintances, allowing Bottomley to maintain his connections with the literary world without succumbing to its frenetic pace.

Literary Connections

Though physically distant from the heart of the literary world, Bottomley was far from isolated intellectually. He engaged in an active correspondence with notable contemporary figures such as Lascelles Abercrombie, a fellow Georgian poet and dramatist, and John Drinkwater, who not only wrote poetic plays but also produced one of Bottomley's. Further enriching his artistic circle, painter Paul Nash created sketches based on scenes from Bottomley's plays. Despite some criticism from literary figures like Sir Edmund William Gosse, Bottomley's strongest ally and advocate was Sir Edward Marsh, the editor of the Georgian Poetry anthologies that prominently featured Bottomley’s work.

Influences and Inspirations

Bottomley's writings were heavily influenced by the Celtic Twilight movement and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Both movements were interdisciplinary, celebrating a bygone era of innocence and often set against the backdrop of remote Celtic landscapes. This influence is evident in Bottomley's use of Scottish settings and folklore, drawing parallels to William Butler Yeats's use of Irish mythology. While distinctly his own, Bottomley's work resonated with the thematic experiments of his contemporaries.

Literary Controversy and Recognition

While Bottomley's personal life was uneventful, his literary career was occasionally marked by controversy. The publication of his play King Lear’s Wife, included in Marsh's anthology Georgian Poetry II, 1913-1915, sparked a negative critical response. The first volume of the anthology had been celebrated for its modernity and clarity, but the second faced backlash for what critics perceived as excessive realism. Bottomley's and Abercrombie's works were critiqued for their stark and unsettling depictions of nature and humanity. The uproar intensified following the play's productions in Birmingham and London, particularly due to a scene involving a corpse-washing sequence and a song that repurposed a children's nursery rhyme in a shocking manner. Despite initial criticism, later assessments by critics like Frank Lawrence Lucas and Priscilla Thouless acknowledged Bottomley's work as transitional, acknowledging both its historical awareness and modern outlook.

Legacy and Later Years

Plagued by poor health throughout his life, Bottomley nonetheless witnessed changing literary fashions and even a slight revival of interest in his plays during the 1940s, just before his death. His contributions to the literature of his time remain a testament to his ability to adapt and innovate, bridging the gap between past influences and a modern sensibility. Though his life was largely spent in seclusion, Gordon Bottomley's legacy endures through his thoughtful and evocative body of work.