English Poetry: A Short History.

Author / Editor
Hopkins, Kenneth.

Title
English Poetry: A Short History.

Published
London: Phoenix House, 1962; Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1963.

Physical Description
568 pp.

Description
Praises Chaucer (pp. 17-31) as the first poet in English to be "read for pleasure" because he "invented in English the pleasant habit of writing for the sake of writing." Commends Chaucer's innovative uses of French and Italian models and the "wealth of observed character" to be found in CT. Includes a summary of Chaucer's life and his "natural genius."

Chaucer Subjects
Background and General Criticism
Chaucer's Life
Canterbury Tales--General