A Reading of Life, with Other Poems

"A Reading of Life, with Other Poems" by George Meredith is a poetry collection written in the early 20th century, reflecting the literary sensibilities of that time. This volume encompasses a range of themes, likely focusing on the complexities of human existence, love, nature, and philosophical inquiries about life itself. The collection opens with the titular poem "A Reading of Life," in which Meredith explores the inherent choices and struggles individuals face, contrasting the pursuits of pleasure and the demands of duty through rich imagery. Throughout the book, other poems such as "With the Huntress" and "With the Persuader" delve into relationships and the interplay of desire and duty. The themes of love, nature, and existential contemplation are further examined in pieces like "The Test of Manhood" and "The Cageing of Ares." Overall, Meredith's poetry intricately weaves personal introspection with broader philosophical explorations, inviting readers to reflect on the essence of life and their place within it. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

George Meredith was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first, his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but Meredith gradually established a reputation as a novelist. The Ordeal of Richard Feverel (1859) briefly scandalised Victorian literary circles. Of his later novels, the most enduring is The Egoist (1879), though in his lifetime his greatest success was Diana of the Crossways (1885). His novels were innovative in their attention to characters' psychology, and also portrayed social change. His style, in both poetry and prose, was noted for its syntactic complexity; Oscar Wilde likened it to "chaos illumined by brilliant flashes of lightning". Meredith was an encourager of other novelists, as well as an influence on them; among those to benefit were Robert Louis Stevenson and George Gissing. Meredith was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times.