John Lucas has remarked that, "We cannot hope to understand that historical period which is habitually called Romanticism if we do not pay attention to the works of Robert Bloomfield." This collection includes essays that consider how Bloomfields poetry contributes to an understanding of the predominant issues, forms, and themes of literary Romanticism. Incorporating essays written by established scholars as well as emerging voices in the field, individual chapters provide readings of Bloomfield in the several contexts within which he wrote: political, aesthetic, religious, social, and scientific. In addition, several essays discuss Bloomfields important contributions to the eras predominant genres: pastoral, georgic, topographical, and narrative, among others. The collection opens with a major overview of Bloomfields critical history, and includes an extensive bibliographic appendix detailing works by and about the poet. It offers a major critique of a neglected poet, a figure John Clare described as "the most original poet of the age." Simon White has completed his PhD thesis on Bloomfield at the University of York.
John Goodridge is Professor of English at Nottingham Trent University. Bridget Keegan is an Associate Professor of English at Creighton University.