DOCSLIB.ORG

Review Essay John Betjeman: Centenary Publications

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Review Essay John Betjeman: Centenary Publications RELIGION and the ARTS Religion and the Arts 11 (2007) 98–117 www.brill.nl/rart Review Essay John Betjeman: Centenary Publications Kevin J. Gardner Baylor University Betjeman, Sir John. Collected Poems. Intro. Andrew Motion. 1958. Rpt. and rev. London: John Murray, 2006. Pp. xxvi + 498. £12.99 paper. ——— . John Betjeman. Ed. Hugo Williams. Poet to Poet Series. London: Faber and Faber, 2006. Pp. xvii + 93. £3.99 paper. ——— . Letters. Volume One: 1926–1951. Ed. Candida Lycett Green. 1994. Rpt. London: Methuen, 2006. Pp. xxvi + 584 + 75 illustrations. £14.99 paper. ——— . Letters. Volume Two: 1951–1984. Ed. Candida Lycett Green. 1995. Rpt. London: Methuen, 2006. Pp. xxiv + 616 + 79 illustrations. £14.99 paper. ——— . Trains and Buttered Toast: Selected Radio Talks. Ed. Stephen Games. London: John Murray, 2006. Pp. xi + 353. £14.99 cloth. Hillier, Bevis. John Betjeman: Th e Biography. London: John Murray, 2006. Pp. xviii + 590 + 61 illustrations. £18.99 paper. Wilson, A. N. Betjeman. London: Hutchinson, 2006. Pp. viii + 375 + 72 illustrations. £20.00 cloth. * ugust 28, 2006, marked the centenary of the birth of Sir John Betjeman, A a date that went almost entirely unnoticed in the United States but that occasioned innumerable publications, exhibitions, broadcasts, and retrospec- tive celebrations in the United Kingdom.1 Books by and about Betjeman are 1) These included a star-studded West End charity gala attended by the Prince of Wales, a Cornish birthday party and concert, a steam locomotive dedication, numerous literary events © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2007 DOI: 10.1163/156852907X172449 RRARTART 111,1_f5_98-117.indd1,1_f5_98-117.indd 9898 33/5/07/5/07 66:25:09:25:09 PPMM K. J. Gardner / Religion and the Arts 11 (2007) 98–117 99 enjoying sales in the UK unimaginable for any other poet of our time: among these are new editions of his verse, new and reissued prose collections, and two new biographies. Betjeman’s success is attributable to the delightful accessibility of his poems as well as to his extensive work in broadcasting and documentary filmmaking and to the leading role he took in architectural and cultural preservation. As a result of his celebrity, various myths have been perpetuated about Betjeman’s antimodernist stance: that he was an eccentric poet of light verse, a nostalgic preserver of a vanishing myth of England and Englishness, and the jocular and loveable “teddy bear to the nation,” as he was dubbed by the Times upon his selection as poet laureate in 1972. Th us far Betjeman has not generated much literary criticism; however, the recent publication of several serious reassessments of the intellectual and literary qualities of his poetry, together with these new publications, has reopened the field of Betjeman studies.2 One of the things that makes John Betjeman such an interesting case is that he was a devout and practicing Christian who openly confessed his faith in his poems and broadcasts. At least a third of his poems touch on religious subjects; they describe ecclesial architecture and the beauty of worship, his will to believe and his frustrations with religious hypocrisy, and the church’s role in providing a cultural identity and spiritual framework for the nation. Th ough Christianity was sufficiently central in Betjeman’s poetic imagination for him to title his blank-verse autobiography Summoned by Bells, belief was never easy for him, and questions of faith and doubt remain essential to understanding both his public and private per- sonæ. In the end, John Betjeman’s jolly public façade masked many deep anxieties both personal and theological. Th is complex life can be appreciated through any of a number of new publications of his poetry and prose. An updated edition of Betjeman’s Col- lected Poems, introduced by Andrew Motion, has been released by his long- standing publisher, John Murray (in the US by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux). Originally published in 1958, it has remained in continuous print, selling an astounding three million copies. Th e new edition contains for the first time Summoned by Bells, previously available only as an individual volume. Th e and festivals, exhibitions at the Bodleian, the British Library, and Sir John Soane’s Museum, a week of dedicated Betjeman-themed programming on BBC Radio 4, three new films on BBC Two, and rebroadcasts of Betjeman’s own documentary films on BBC Four and ITV. 2) In addition to the critical evaluations of Betjeman’s verse by poets Hugo Williams and Andrew Motion in the volumes reviewed here, see Professor Dennis Brown’s monograph in the Writers and Their Work series, John Betjeman, and my own essay, “Anglicanism and the Poetry of John Betjeman.” RRARTART 111,1_f5_98-117.indd1,1_f5_98-117.indd 9999 33/5/07/5/07 66:25:10:25:10 PPMM.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Poet Andrew Motion, Interviewed at National Portrait Gallery, London, 14 March 2014
    Picture the Poet – Fusion Digital Gallery audio transcript: Poet Andrew Motion, interviewed at National Portrait Gallery, London, 14 March 2014 For me, poems begin with a sense of, well, I think it is a sort of musical ache if that means anything to anybody else; it's a preverbal back-of-the-mind unlit part of the mind yearning to complete something. Robert Frost very beautifully says ‘a poem begins with a lump in the throat, a love sickness, a homesickness’. That has always meant a lot to me, that remark, partly because it catches the distress often involved in writing, lovesickness and homesickness being horrible things, but also because it allows us to think a little bit about preverbalness; a lump in the throat is not quite a verbalised thing yet. So, far back in my mind, I have a feeling of wanting to complete something that is unfinished, to satisfy something which is already disappointed, to complete the circle in some way; but what idea that might have to do with at that point, I really don’t know. And I then drag it to the slightly better-lit front of my mind, and in that process words, what we call ideas, concepts, phrases, allusions, references, bits of childhood etc. etc., all start to stick to it; so it becomes something that is recognisable as a poem. Writing poems for me, and I guess for most people, is a strange businesses of getting the side of your mind that knows what it's doing, that is calculating, that might go to a place to get inspiration, with the side of your mind that really doesn't know what it's up to at all; that is the expression of your ‘un’ or ‘sub’ conscious.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2012
    PRESS RELEASE July 2014 Poetry for the Palace Poets Laureate from Dryden to Duffy The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse 7 August – 2 November 2014 From William Wordsworth and Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Sir John Betjeman and Ted Hughes, some of Britain's most famous poets have held the position of Poet Laureate. This special honour, and appointment to the Royal Household, is awarded by the Sovereign to a poet whose work is of national significance. An exhibition opening at The Queen's Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse in August is the first ever to explore this royal tradition and the relationship between poet and monarch over 350 years. Through historic documents from the Royal Library and newly commissioned works of art, Poetry for the Palace: Poets Royal Collection Trust / Laureate from Dryden to Duffy marks the halfway point in the © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014. tenure of the current Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. The Artwork by Stephen Raw exhibition includes original manuscripts and rare editions presented to monarchs by Poets Laureate from the 17th century to the present day, many personally inscribed, handwritten or illustrated by the poets themselves. Over three-quarters of the 52 items will go on display for the first time. Born in Scotland, Carol Ann Duffy was appointed the 20th Poet Laureate by The Queen in 2009 and is the first woman to hold the position. Her poems cover a range of subjects, from the Royal Wedding in 2011 (Rings) and the 60th anniversary of The Queen's Coronation (The Crown), to the publication of the Hillsborough Report (Liverpool) and climate change (Atlas).
    [Show full text]
  • Professor Sir Andrew Motion
    Impact case study (REF3b) Institution: Royal Holloway, University of London Unit of Assessment: English Title of case study: Literature in Public Life: Professor Sir Andrew Motion. 1. Summary of the impact (indicative maximum 100 words) Professor Sir Andrew Motion works at the heart of the poetry sector in the UK and speaks for it at all levels of public discourse. His research into poetry through criticism and practice, and his tireless public engagement, lead to impacts on a wide range of users in cultural life and education, civil society, public discourses and public services. These are achieved through such positions as Director and Co-Founder of The Poetry Archive (since 2003) Chair of Arts Council Review Group (2009) Director of Poetry by Heart (from 2012). Widespread benefits are felt through the creation and identification of cultural capital influence on education and public policy (2008-13). 2. Underpinning research (indicative maximum 500 words) Professor Motion was appointed Professor of Creative Writing (0.5 FTE) in the English Department at Royal Holloway in 2003. He was already established in the Laureateship, occupying this high office in public life to serve Queen and Commonwealth, engaged in revitalizing the traditions of the role established by such figures as Wordsworth, Tennyson, Betjeman and Hughes. His writing continued to mark not simply Royal occasions, but also encompassed many commissions from Charities seeking his voice to promote their causes in verse. Beyond his work as poet and novelist, he is an influential biographer, editor, and literary critic, specializing in Romantic, twentieth-century and contemporary literature. These are all areas of activity which he has maintained since his appointment at Royal Holloway and since stepping down as Laureate (2009).
    [Show full text]
  • Andrew Motion's "Love in a Life"
    W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 1993 "Such Closets to Search": Andrew Motion's "Love in a Life" Lisa Marie Haarlander College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the English Language and Literature Commons Recommended Citation Haarlander, Lisa Marie, ""Such Closets to Search": Andrew Motion's "Love in a Life"" (1993). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539625825. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-8sd0-2t31 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “SUCH CLOSETS TO SEARCH”: ANDREW MOTION’S LOVE IN A LIFE A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of English The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Lisa Haarlander 1993 APPROVAL SHEET This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Lj/sa Marie Haarlander Approved, July 1993 Henry Hart, Chair Willis, Jr. Thomas Heacox For those without whose enduring faith this may not have been ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writer wishes to express her thanks to Professor Henry Hart for his encouragement and guidance in this venture. The author is also indebted to Professor J. H. Willis, Jr. and Professor Thomas Heacox for their thoughtful readings of both the thesis and the poems, and for their insightful comments.
    [Show full text]
  • Domine Dirige
    Kevin J. Gardner is Associate Professor of English at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. A Betjeman scholar, he is the author of Betjeman and the Anglican Imagination (SPCK, 2010). He is also the editor of Faith and Doubt of John Betjeman: An anthology of his religious verse (Continuum, 2005) and Poems in the Porch: The radio poems of John Betjeman (Continuum, 2008). In addition to his work on Betjeman, he has published on a wide variety of literary figures over the years, and has a particular interest in twentieth-century writers who address issues of faith and religion. BETJEMAN ON FAITH An anthology of his religious prose Edited by Kevin J. Gardner First published in Great Britain in 2011 Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge 36 Causton Street London SW1P 4ST www.spckpublishing.co.uk Preface copyright © Kevin J. Gardner 2011 All other chapters copyright © the Estate of Sir John Betjeman 2011 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. SPCK does not necessarily endorse the individual views contained in its publications. Scripture quotations are taken from the Authorized Version of the Bible (The King James Bible), the rights in which are vested in the Crown, and are reproduced by permission of the Crown’s Patentee, Cambridge University Press. Extracts from The Book of Common Prayer, the rights in which are vested in the Crown, are reproduced by permission of the Crown’s Patentee, Cambridge University Press.
    [Show full text]
  • U DP207 Correspondence Between Philip Larkin 1978-1985 and Andrew Motion
    Hull History Centre: Correspondence between Philip Larkin and Andrew Motion U DP207 Correspondence between Philip Larkin 1978-1985 and Andrew Motion Biographical Background: Andrew Motion was born in 1952, the son of Andrew Richard Motion and Catherine Gillian Motion. He graduated from University College, Oxford in 1974. Between 1977 and 1981 he worked as a lecturer in English at Hull University. His first collection of poems The Pleasure Steamers was published by Carcanet in 1978. He returned to Oxford as editor of Poetry Review 1981 to 1983, and worked as editorial director at Chatto & Windus from 1983 to 1989. He has published many collections of poems, novels and criticism and is currently Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. He has also published Independence (1981); Secret Narratives (1983); Dangerous Plays: Poems 1974 - 1984 (1984); Natural Causes (1987) and Love in a Life (1991). He is the author of two critical books The Poetry of Edward Thomas (1980) and Philip Larkin (1982); novels, including the Pale Companion (1989) and biographies of The Lamberts: George Constant and Kit (1986) and Philip Larkin: a writer's life (1993). Andrew Motion married Joanna Jane Powell in 1973 and Janet Elizabeth Dalley in 1985. He has two sons Custodial history: Purchased from Professor Andrew Motion, 2 December 2002 Description: Comprises mostly continuous correspondence discussing both of their poetry, work and personal affairs. Arrangement: U DP207/1 - 36 Larkin to Motion U DP207/37 - 78 Motion to Larkin Extent: 105 items Related material: U DP165 Papers of Andrew Motion U DPL Papers of Philip Larkin Related material in other repositories: John Rylands Library (Manchester); National Sound Archives; Bodleian Library (Oxford); King's College (Cambridge); Eton School Library Access conditions: Access will be granted to any accredited reader page 1 of 12 Hull History Centre: Correspondence between Philip Larkin and Andrew Motion U DP207/1 Memorandum.
    [Show full text]
  • Title the First Female British Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy
    Title The first female British poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy : a biographical sketch and interpretation of her poem 'The Thames, London 2012' Sub Title 英国初の女性桂冠詩人, キャロル・アン・ダフィーの経歴と作品, 「テムズ川, ロンドン2012年」の考察 Author 富田, 裕子(Tomida, Hiroko) Publisher 慶應義塾大学日吉紀要刊行委員会 Publication year 2016 Jtitle 慶應義塾大学日吉紀要. 言語・文化・コミュニケーション (Language, culture and communication). No.47 (2016. ) ,p.39- 59 Abstract Notes Genre Departmental Bulletin Paper URL http://koara.lib.keio.ac.jp/xoonips/modules/xoonips/detail.php?koara_id=AN1003 2394-20160331-0039 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) The First Female British Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy —a Biographical Sketch and Interpretation of her Poem ‘The Thames, London 2012’ Hiroko Tomida Introduction Although the name of Carol Ann Duffy has been known to the British public since she was appointed Britain’s Poet Laureate in May 2009, she remains an obscure figure outside Britain, especially in Japan.1 Her radio and television interviews are accessible, and the collections of her poems are easily obtainable. However, there are only a few books, exploring her poetry from a wide range of literary and theoretical perspectives.2 The rest of the publications are short articles, which appeared mostly in literary magazines and newspapers.3 Indeed her biographical sketches and analyses of her poems, especially the recent ones, are very limited in number. Therefore the main objectives of this article are to introduce her biography and to analyse one of her recent poems relating to British history. This article will be divided into two sections. In the first part, Duffy’s upbringing, and family and educational backgrounds, and her careers as a poet, playwright, literary critic and an academic will be examined.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Editor Philip L
    Moebius Volume 1 Article 4 Issue 2 Privacy 4-1-2003 From the Editor Philip L. Fetzer California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/moebius Recommended Citation Fetzer, Philip L. (2003) "From the Editor," Moebius: Vol. 1: Iss. 2, Article 4. Available at: http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/moebius/vol1/iss2/4 This Editorial Note is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Liberal Arts at DigitalCommons@CalPoly. It has been accepted for inclusion in Moebius by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@CalPoly. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Fetzer: From the Editor From the Editor We chose “privacy” as the theme for our spring issue because of its inherent importance to all people. In the early part of the 21st Century, the issue of pri­ vacy has taken on many forms. For example, how do we distinguish between what is “private” and what is “public”? Many of us appear to make no distinction whatsoever. We talk on cell phones while walking in a crowd. We make financial transactions on sidewalks. We “tell all” about virtually anything on television and radio. Among the subjects we discuss in this issue are the ways in which privacy issues affect many of our most important institutions: the media, our libraries, and the federal government. How is our country responding to the new chal­ lenges to privacy that have arisen since the attacks of September 11, 2001? How has the media responded to the changes in laws affecting privacy? What new reg­ ulations apply to library usage? What are our students’ perceptions of privacy as they experience dorm life? At the same, we are publishing this issue during a time of war.
    [Show full text]
  • Anthology of Named Poems and Study Guide
    AS (Paper 1) and A Level (Paper 3) English Literature Anthology of Named Poems and Study Guide Please note that biographical detail is included for information purposes only, to support you with your knowledge and possible further reading on each poet. There is no expectation that you would refer to any such materials in your assessment at either AS or A level. Contents Page in this Page in Poem Poet booklet Anthology Eat Me Patience Agbabi 3 3 Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Simon Armitage 7 6 Grass Material Ros Barber 11 10 Inheritance Eavan Boland 17 22 A Leisure Centre is Also a Sue Boyle 21 23 Temple of Learning History John Burnside 25 25 The War Correspondent Ciaran Carson 30 29 An Easy Passage Julia Copus 36 37 The Deliverer Tishani Doshi 41 43 The Map Woman Carol Ann Duffy 46 47 The Lammas Hireling Ian Duhig 53 51 To My Nine-Year-Old Self Helen Dunmore 58 52 A Minor Role U A Fanthorpe 62 57 The Gun Vicki Feaver 66 62 The Furthest Distances I’ve Leontia Flynn 70 64 Travelled Giuseppe Roderick Ford 74 66 Out of the Bag Seamus Heaney 78 81 Effects Alan Jenkins 85 92 The Fox in the National Robert Minhinnick 90 121 Museum of Wales Genetics Sinéad Morrissey 95 125 From the Journal of a Andrew Motion 99 127 Disappointed Man Look We Have Coming to Daljit Nagra 104 129 Dover! Fantasia on a Theme of James Sean O’Brien 108 130 Wright Please Hold Ciaran O’Driscoll 112 132 You, Shiva, and My Mum Ruth Padel 117 140 Song George Szirtes 122 168 On Her Blindness Adam Thorpe 126 170 Ode on a Grayson Perry Urn Tim Turnbull 131 172 Sample Assessment Questions 137 Sample Planning Diagrams 138 Assessment Grid 143 2 Patience Agbabi, ‘Eat Me’ Biography Patience Agbabi (b.
    [Show full text]
  • Poet Laureate Simon Armitage Receives First Bottles of His Own Specially Labelled Sherry
    Press Release: Immediate July 2020 Page 1 of 3 Poet Laureate Simon Armitage Receives first bottles of his own specially labelled Sherry. The Sherry producers of Jerez in Spain were delighted when Simon Armitage visited Jerez to choose his gift of Sherry and sign the barrel. The wine has now been delivered to him. On receiving the Sherry, Simon Armitage responded: “After the inevitable delay given current circumstances, I’m excited these special bottles have now arrived. I hope to put them to good use - as gifts and prizes to raise money in the name of poetry – now needed more than ever before. My wife drew the image of the cuckoo on the front label - the bird has a folklore connection with the village of Marsden where I grew up and where so many of my poems are rooted. My dialect poem “The Phoenix” appears on the reverse of the label and tells a version of the Marsden cuckoo story. There’s an annual Cuckoo Festival in the village - perhaps some sherry will be involved in forthcoming years and become part of the tradition itself!” Consejo Regulador de las Denominaciones de Origen “Jerez-Xérès-Sherry”, “Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barramdea” y “Vinagre de Jerez” Avda. Álvaro Domecq nº 2. 11405 Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz). Tfno. 956 332 050 Fax 956 338 908 E-mail [email protected] Press Release: Immediate July 2020 Page 2 of 3 Poet Laureate Simon Armitage receives first bottles of his own specially labelled Sherry Notes: The Consejo Regulador de los Vinos de Jerez y Manzanilla (CRDO) is the regulating body of the Sherry industry representing all the interests concerned, whether they be growers, producers or exporters.
    [Show full text]
  • Ledbury Poetry Festival 2019 Annual Report
    1 2 Chair’s Report The 2019 Festival, celebrating its twenty second anniversary, was as vibrant, engaging and accessible as ever. Audiences were able to uncover genuine surprises as well as to experience well-established poets and writers like Margaret Atwood, Ali Smith, Roger McGough, Carol Ann Duffy, Andrew Motion and the new Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage. We would like to thank our many volunteers, our funders and sponsors, our schools and all our supporters for making the Festival what it is. We are particularly proud of our growing international links, our closer co-operation with small publishers and our developing and potential working partnerships. On a practical note, we are very pleased with growing ticket sales, which increased substantially. We are also very fortunate in our Board, and we are particularly pleased that the Festival will now have the skills and energy of a new trustee, Sandeep Parmar. Our staff too continue to work to the highest calibre, and we feel confident about the future and look forward to further promoting the enjoyment in the art of poetry by working with poets, sponsors and audiences locally, nationally and internationally. As the permanent sign at the railway station confirms: “Ledbury - Junction for Poetry”. Peter Arscott Artistic Director’s Report The 2019 Festival flexed its cultural might with an offering of 60 ticketed events, 24 free events, 4 exhibitions and 2 writing trails. High profile events included two exclusive appearances from Canada’s most respected living poet and writer Margaret Atwood, who also visited pupils at local John Masefield High School.
    [Show full text]
  • Carol Ann Duffy's Postmodern Satire
    MIXING GENRES AND GENDERS: CAROL ANN DUFFY’S POSTMODERN SATIRE: THE WORLD’S 1 WIFE Pilar Abad University of Valladolid INTRODUCTION The editors of the 1993 anthology entitled The New Poetry define the latter as a kind of poetry “… that is fresh in its attitudes, risk-taking in its address, and plural in its forms and voices…” (Hulse, Kennedy & Morley 1993:16). Most of this poetry is written by poets who, at the time, were officially appointed as New Gen Poets,2 and seven years later (2001) are considered solid assets,3 an appreciation which comes down to our day. Some of them were eight women- poets whose poetry has been summed up as “… moving, entertaining, technically innovative, often brilliant…”(Dunmore 1995) and among them is the one who will be the focus of attention in this exposé: Carol Ann Duffy (1955-). I have chosen Carol Ann Duffy as my subject as, undoubtedly, today’s most widely acclaimed mainstream British woman-poet: “… The figurehead of New Generation … Carol Ann has vindicated the faith people had in her then by becoming an indisputable popular poet alongside Heaney. The poet’s poet in 1994, she is quite clearly now the People’s (poet)…” (Forbes 2001:22). In 1999 she was candidate for the Laureate Poet’s throne (after Heaney’s resignation) and undeservedly relegated (in favour of Andrew Motion) mainly for political 1 Conferencia pronunciada en el XXVIII Congreso internacional AEDEAN. 2 See Longley, “How We Made the New Generation” (1994): 52-53; Forbes, “Talking About the New Generation” (1994): 4-6.
    [Show full text]