History – Page 26 – Interesting Literature

Interesting Facts about Poets’ Corner

Fun facts about Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey – and the writers buried there

Although Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to be buried in Poets’ Corner, his interment in that part of the Abbey only took place in 1556, over a century and a half after his death. He had originally been buried elsewhere in Westminster Abbey, following his death in 1400. And he earned his original place in the Abbey not for his poetry but for his other work: he was Clerk of Works of the Palace of Westminster. This was probably the reason for his burial in the Abbey in the first place. ‘Poets’ Corner’ would only come into being many years after Chaucer’s death.

Interesting Facts about the Sonnet

A short history of the sonnet form, with some fun facts about its development

Writing an introduction to the sonnet throws out a number of questions, so in this post we will ask what might be considered the essential questions about the sonnet form, and provide some answers. Who invented the sonnet? What form does the sonnet take? These sorts of questions. They actually throw out some surprising answers…

Interesting Facts about William Blake’s ‘Jerusalem’

The history of the classic hymn ‘Jerusalem’ and its literary origins

‘Jerusalem’ is one of the most famous hymns around, a sort of alternative national anthem for England (and some, especially those of a republican persuasion, prefer it to ‘God Save the Queen’). But as with most things which we know well, the hymn called ‘Jerusalem’ is surrounded by misconceptions, legend, and half-truths. We intend, in this post, to clear away some of the mystery in which Blake’s ‘Jerusalem’ is abundantly swathed.

The Curious Origins of Tweedledum and Tweedledee

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

Who is being described? Born in the north-west of England near Manchester, he was a literary man who was also noted in his day for his interest in science and mathematics. In terms of physical appearance, he was known for being particularly tall, considerably taller than average. He gave us Tweedledum and Tweedledee, pioneered a system of code-writing, wrote one of his most famous works for a young girl, and appears to have had an interest in the occult.

The above may sound like a description of Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, but in fact

Interesting Facts about Robinson Crusoe

Fun facts about Daniel Defoe’s classic novel Robinson Crusoe, with an interesting summary of its impact

Robinson Crusoe, often called the first English novel, is the tale of one man’s survival on a desert island following a shipwreck – although Crusoe later discovers the island isn’t as deserted as he first thought. The longer, considerably less snappy title of the novel which appeared on the title-page of the first edition in 1719 read: The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver’d by Pyrates. What follows are some of our favourite facts about Robinson Crusoe (as the novel is more commonly known).