The poetry of Thomas Carew: A critical study

Abstract

Purpose: This purpose of this paper is to provide a single ordered critical study of the poetry of Thomas Carew, bringing together, under one heading, and considering the various brief critical studies on Carew written over the past three centuries. Many of the thoughts explored in this paper have been briefly explored in other works, but never, to the belief of the author, have their significance been examined as thoroughly as this paper hopes to do, or in the total perspective of all of his work. I. His Life. This chapter provides a brief examination of the life and times of Thomas Carew in emphasis of his representative standing of the Caroline courtier poets. II. His Lyrics. This chapter examines those lyrics of Thomas Carew considered to be the most representative of his work. It considers those lyrics which are perhaps representative of the mean of his poetic achievement, several lyrics which provide an interesting deviation in style from the preceding ones, and those lyrics which represent the very best of Carew. III. His Occasional Verse. This chapter discusses the occasional verse of Thomas Carew, considering his wedding celebrations, obituary pieces, and his verse-epistles, in an attempt to isolate various characteristics of his style which can also be seen reflected in his lyrics, and to gain a greater insight into both the poet and his style. IV. His Sources. This chapter considers the various borrowings Carew made from other poets, most particularly Donne, Jonson, and Marino, and both the extent and nature of their influence upon his work. V. His Achievement: This chapter attempts to evaluate Carew's achievement, and analyze the method by which he wrote lyrics of a consistently high standard. It examines his verse structure, his imagery, and several of the motifs which recur frequently in his verse. Appendix: His Critical Reputation. This chapter is a study of Carew's critical reputation from his day until the present.