Biography john clare

English poet (1793–1864)

For other people with the same name, see John Clare (disambiguation).

John Clare (13 July 1793 – 20 May 1864) was an English poet.

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The son of a farm labourer, he became known for his celebrations of the English countryside and his sorrows at its disruption.^[1] His work underwent major re-evaluation in the late 20th century; he is now often seen as a major 19th-century poet.^[2] His biographer Jonathan Bate called Clare "the greatest labouring-class poet that England has ever produced.

No one has ever written more powerfully of nature, of a rural childhood, and of the alienated and unstable self."^[3]

Life

Early life

Clare was born in Helpston, 6 miles (10 km) to the north of the city of Peterborough.^[4] In his lifetime, the village was in the Soke of Peterborough in Northamptonshire and his memorial calls him "The Northamptonshire Peasant Poet".

Helpston is now part of the City of Peterborou Biography of John Clare | Poemist PISO