by Paull F. Baum                   

 ISBN: 0374904650 

If the whole history of Chaucer studies is ever written, it will show–along with a record of trial and error as the facts of his biography and the essentials of background have been recovered (so far as they are now recoverable)–a surprising phenomenon: that seldom has there been anything but praise. Other poets abide our question; not Chaucer. It has come now to seem disloyal to hint a fault in “our incomparable poet”: for if anything in his poetry appeared irregular or unsatisfactory we have studiously overlooked it or hurried to his defense with ingenious contrivances of interpretation; if there was anything lacking we have generously added it, imputing to him qualities to which he made no claim and of which he never dreamed. Bagehot laid it down a century ago “that the business of a critic is criticism; that it is not his business to be thankful; that he must attempt an estimate rather than a eulogy.” But the critical premise of our professional Chaucerians seems to have been that Chaucer was a great poet and should therefore be adorned with all the high qualities of other great poets. Whatever he did was always right and nothing will do short of proving him so.

Description: Octagon Books, New York, New York, U.S.A., 1982. Binding is Hardcover. Book Condition: Very Good+. 229 pp.

Notes: British ed. published in 1961 under title: Courage of genius.  

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A Rare Find! Very Limited.Hardback Green Cloth-192 pages.

Summary: Ibsen was born to Knud Ibsen and Marichen Altenburg, a relatively well-to-do merchant family, in the small port town of Skien, Norway, which was primarily noted for shipping timber. He was a descendant of some of the oldest and most distinguished families of Norway, including the Paus family. Shortly after his birth his family’s fortunes took a significant turn for the worse. His mother turned to religion for solace, and his father began to suffer from severe depression. The characters in his plays often mirror his parents, and his themes often deal with issues of financial difficulty as well as moral conflicts stemming from dark secrets hidden from society. Chapters include:        

The Revolution of 1848
Early Impressions of Public Life
Ibsen’s Literary Education
The Newer National Romanticism
Ibsen and Kierkegaard
Ibsen and Scandinavianism
Bjornson and Ibsen
Georg Brandes and Ibsen
Modern Problems
The Last Works and their World

Book Details: Language: English, Physical Description: 187 s., xi 188p  - The book measures 6 by 9 inches and is composed of 187 pp. with an index.

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