Basil Bunting: The Briggflatts Bard

Early Life and Education

Basil Bunting was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, on March 1, 1900. His father was a successful businessman, and his mother was a talented musician. Bunting attended the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle, where he excelled in his studies. He went on to study classics at the University of Durham, where he graduated in 1921.

Briggflatts

by Basil Bunting

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	607833 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	80 pages

FREE

After graduating from university, Bunting traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East. He spent time in Italy, France, Spain, and Morocco, where he studied art and literature. He also learned to speak several languages, including Italian, French, and Arabic.

Literary Career

Bunting began writing poetry in the early 1920s. His early poems were published in various literary magazines, but he did not publish his first collection of poems until 1930. This collection, entitled Redimiculum Matutinum, was well-received by critics, and it established Bunting as a rising star in the literary world.

In the 1930s, Bunting became involved in the modernist movement in poetry. He was influenced by the work of Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and William Carlos Williams. Bunting's own poetry became increasingly experimental, and he began to use collage and other techniques to create new and innovative forms of verse.

In 1966, Bunting published his most famous work, Briggflatts. This long poem is a meditation on the history and culture of the Northumbrian landscape. Briggflatts was a critical and commercial success, and it won the Poetry Book Society's Summer Choice Award.

Bunting continued to write poetry until his death in 1985. He published several more collections of poems, including Loquitur (1965),The Spoils (1976),and First Book of Odes (1980).

Later Life and Legacy

In his later years, Bunting lived in Northumberland, where he continued to write poetry and translate classical texts. He also gave lectures and readings at universities and literary festivals throughout the world.

Bunting died in Hexham, Northumberland, on April 17, 1985. He is buried in the churchyard of St. Andrew's Church in Corbridge, Northumberland.

Bunting is considered one of the most important poets of the 20th century. His work is characterized by its precision, clarity, and musicality. He was a master of form and language, and his poems are still studied and enjoyed by readers today.

Briggflatts

Briggflatts is Bunting's most famous work. It is a long poem in seven sections that tells the story of the Northumbrian landscape from the prehistoric era to the present day. The poem is full of rich imagery and symbolism, and it explores themes of history, culture, and the human condition.

Briggflatts was a critical and commercial success, and it won the Poetry Book Society's Summer Choice Award in 1966. The poem has been praised for its beauty, its originality, and its historical insights.

Briggflatts is a complex and challenging poem, but it is also a rewarding one. It is a poem that repays multiple readings, and it is sure to stay with you long after you have finished it.

Basil Bunting was a major figure in 20th-century poetry. His work is characterized by its precision, clarity, and musicality. He was a master of form and language, and his poems are still studied and enjoyed by readers today.

Briggflatts is Bunting's most famous work. It is a long poem that tells the story of the Northumbrian landscape from the prehistoric era to the present day. The poem is full of rich imagery and symbolism, and it explores themes of history, culture, and the human condition.

Briggflatts is a complex and challenging poem, but it is also a rewarding one. It is a poem that repays multiple readings, and it is sure to stay with you long after you have finished it.

Briggflatts

by Basil Bunting

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	607833 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	80 pages

FREE