Richard Jefferies Criticism
Richard Jefferies (1848-1887), known as both an essayist and naturalist, is celebrated for his vivid depictions of the English countryside, blending an affectionate view of nature with a realistic portrayal that reveals both its beauty and harshness. Born in Wiltshire, Jefferies's formal education was limited, supplemented by self-directed learning outdoors. His early career as a journalist included notable pieces for the North Wilts Herald and the London Times, where he drew attention for supporting farmers' wage demands. Despite initial failures with novels focused on the upper class, Jefferies found success with works like The Gamekeeper at Home, highlighting his deep connection to rural life. This and subsequent publications such as The Amateur Poacher and Hodge and His Masters established him as a significant voice in country literature, as noted by the Saturday Review for his engaging rural landscapes. His later works like The Story of My Heart reflect a more philosophical bent, akin to Thoreau's Walden, though critiqued by some like James Purves for lacking humor and emotional warmth. Despite shifts in literary style, as described by H. S. Salt, Jefferies's works are praised for their poetic qualities and deep appreciation of nature, as echoed in William Ernest Henley's assessment of his enduring literary impact. Jefferies's legacy, while waning in modern popularity, continues to be appreciated for its contribution to the genre of English nature writing, offering insights into a vanishing rural way of life.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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The Amateur Poacher
(summary)
In the following article, the Saturday Review critic provides a very positive assessment of The Amateur Poacher, describing it as perhaps more enjoyable than its predecessors, with delicate painting of rural landscapes and lively autobiographical reminiscences.
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A review of The Story of My Heart: My Autobiography
(summary)
Here, Purves appraises The Story of My Heart, calling the book "a contribution to the ideal in life." He critiques the book for being clever yet unsatisfactory, noting that Mr. Jefferies has not told his own story as well as in his previous works. Purves discusses the similarities between Jefferies' ideas and those of Thoreau in Walden, while also highlighting the lack of humor and human feeling in Jefferies' writing. He describes the book as a fragment of outspoken moods that treats various philosophical subjects.
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Fiction, Early and Late
(summary)
Besant was a prolific English novelist, historian, and critic who used fiction to exposé and denounce the social evils of late-Victorian England. In the excerpt below, Besant discusses the failure of Jefferies's early novels.
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As Poet-Naturalist
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Salt discusses the shift in Jefferies's style from naturalist to poet-naturalist, as "we find the poetical and imaginative element wielding almost complete supremacy over the merely descriptive and scientific."
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Richard Jefferies
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Rickett discusses Jefferies as a vagabond temperament, stating that he 'presents to my mind all the characteristics of the Vagabond,' including 'his many graces and charms,' as well as 'his notable deficiencies.'
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Recapitulation
(summary)
In the following essay, Thomas assesses the impact of Jefferies's personal life on his writings.
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Jefferies
(summary)
Henley focuses on the qualities that made Jefferies's writings popular, describing him as a literary figure with a unique style and mental qualities that reflect a deep observation of nature. He emphasizes Jefferies's contributions to literature and predicts the enduring value of his works in the context of changing landscapes.
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Richard Jefferies' Amaryllis at the Fair
(summary)
In the following essay, Garnett challenges the opinion of most critics that Jefferies was not a novelist, emphasizing the merit of his Amaryllis at the Fair.
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Richard Jefferies: Natural Historian of the English Countryside (1848-1887)
(summary)
Here, Vaughan explores Jefferies's writings, contending that they provide insight not only into natural history, but also into 'the human element of the countryside.'
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Lives and Works of Richard Jefferies
(summary)
In the following excerpt, first published in Scrutiny in 1938, Leavis defends Jefferies against critical attacks of his works, calling him a 'manysided and comprehensive genius.' She argues for the intrinsic literary value of Jefferies's rural life writings and highlights his contributions to social thought and natural history.
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An introduction to Jefferies' England: Nature Essays
(summary)
In the excerpt below, Looker compares the early and later works of Jefferies, noting the gradual development of his power of thought from the conventional and specious attitude of the early papers to a deeper realisation of the underlying needs and hopes of the mind.
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Richard Jefferies and the Naturalistic Peasant
(summary)
In the following essay, Hyde examines Jefferies's portrayal of peasant life in his writings.
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Some Nature Writers and Civilization
(summary)
Here, Williamson surveys Jefferies's life and discusses his development of two distinct styles.
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The Romances: Wood Magic, Bevis, and After London
(summary)
In the following essay, Keith explores some interconnections between Jefferies's romances—Wood Magic, Bevis, and After London. He considers all three books together under the general term 'romances,' highlighting their connection to the theme of 'return to nature' and the interplay between the real world and a dream-world that reflects everyday experience.
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The Last Essays
(summary)
In this excerpt, Taylor studies four of Jefferies's essay collections, suggesting that his numerous essays originated in his obsessive early cataloguings of the details of the natural world.
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An introduction to Landscape with Figures
(summary)
In the essay below, Mabey focuses on Jefferies's treatment of the common land-worker in books such as The Gamekeeper at Home and Hodge and His Masters.
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Blossoms of Mutation: Field Theory in the Works of Richard Jefferies, W. H. Hudson, and D. H. Lawrence
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Krasner explores Jefferies's view of nature, noting that he perceives "natural energy rather than natural form."
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The Amateur Poacher
(summary)
- Further Reading