Barret Browning Quote

[L.M. The Third]

I recently found this impressive quote from Elizabeth Barret Browning. My question is: What are your thoughts on who the "Greek Christian poets" she mentions might be?


We want the touch of Christ's hand upon our literature,
as it touched other dead things; we want the sense of the saturation of Christ's blood upon the souls of our poets, that it may cry through them in answer to the ceaseless wail of the Sphinx of our humanity, expounding agony into renovation. Something of this has been perceived in art when its glory was at the fullest. Something of a yearning after this may be seen among the Greek Christian poets, something which would have been much with a stronger faculty.

[JCamilo]

It is an essay she wrote, several pages, several authors. The same name.

[L.M. The Third]

It is an essay she wrote, several pages, several authors. The same name.
I think I've found it. Thanks a lot!

[Cbruce]

I recently found this impressive quote from Elizabeth Barret Browning. My question is: What are your thoughts on who the "Greek Christian poets" she mentions might be?
I believe she refers to Homer. she also mentions Manual Philo...you might enjoy reading her essays at http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?...

[JCamilo]

Yes, I remember reading Homer "Sing, O muse, the wrath of Jesus..."

[L.M. The Third]

I was going to start the essay today, but circumstances didn't allow. I still want to read it this month. So maybe I'll post some thoughts shortly.

[OrphanPip]

I would assume she would be talking about the contemporary Greek Christian poets of her time, that whole revolution against Turkey was all the rage in Europe at the time.

[JCamilo]

No, she is talking about early Christian poets, some even hadnt no surviving full texts. And most of them she points as not great poets, it was more than essay from hystorical point view rather critical.

[Cbruce]

Hi..Did you ever get to reading this essay? If you did what do you think?

[JCamilo]

I read it, it is a bit long, like she said herself, most of those poets are not notable and this stands true for their own life story. However, it is a bit of curious, since the subject is hardly know elsewhere.
But for fans of E.B.Browning, it only proves she was a very well learned woman, with a range of knowledge that easily surparssed the average. A true intelectual.

[L.M. The Third]

Hi..Did you ever get to reading this essay? If you did what do you think?

I read most of it, but not every word. As has been pointed out, EBB did not herself consider these poets among the greatest. So, without a knowledge of their works and language, much of it is a superfluous read. However, there were a few interesting facts from history, and interesting observations, which kept it from being a waste of time.