About
Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909) was a major English writer of the Victorian era. Born into an aristocratic family, he studied at Eton and Oxford, where he befriended the Pre-Raphaelites. His verse drama Atalanta in Calydon (1865) brought him fame, but Poems and Ballads (1866) caused a scandal for its daring themes. Politically engaged, he supported Italian republicanism. He invented the roundel form and excelled in elegy. After a dissolute life, he was taken in by Theodore Watts-Dunton in 1879 and lived a secluded existence in Putney, continuing to write until his death.
* 1837-04-05 — † 1909-04-10
Major works
- Atalanta in Calydon (1865)verse drama
- Poems and Ballads, First Series (1866)poetry collection
- Songs Before Sunrise (1871)poetry collection
- A Century of Roundels (1883)poetry collection
- Mary Stuart (1881)play
Key milestones
- 1866Publication of Poems and Ballads, which caused a public scandal and was withdrawn by the publisher.
- 1867Met Giuseppe Mazzini, who influenced his political ideas.
- 1879Taken in by Theodore Watts-Dunton, he led a sober and secluded life in Putney.
Themes
Liberty and republicanismLove and sensualityDeath and elegyClassical mythologyRebellion and anti-clericalism
Sources: oxforddnb.com · britannica.com