Christopher Smart and the Enlightenment - Hardcover

In this new collection, an impressive group of critics and literary scholars reappraises Smart’s legacy and his remarkable impact on twentieth-century poetry. Often considered a minor poet, notable mainly for his reputed madness, his dazzling "Song to David," and his friendship with Samuel Johnson, Smart has begun to emerge as a figure of interest as the demand has grown for historically nuanced studies of the Enlightenment and its values. This volume offers a finely historicized approach to Smart’s work, highlighting the markedly transitional quality of the eighteenth-century moment as regards the Enlightenment project. The book also analyzes the generative impact of Smart on modern poetry and music, demonstrating the reach of Smart’s contemporary resonance.