Poetry of the Thirties

Synopsis of Poetry of the Thirties

This poetry anthology, edited by Robin Skelton, presents a collection of works by the most prominent poets of the 1930s. The poets of this era, marked by the First World War, became obsessed with war, communalism, and the class struggle, firmly believing in the public role of poets. The Spanish Civil War personified the mood of the time, transforming their symbolic obsessions into a tragic reality. Despite their unity of ideals, an astonishing variety of poetry emerged. Skelton organizes the poems to create an illuminating 'critical essay' of the period, exploring the moods and mores of an intensely troubled and creative decade.