The Poetry of Personality: The Poetic Diction of Dylan Thomas

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Even lovers of Dylan Thomass poems are often puzzled by his habits of language, which sometimes take the form of unusual diction and unique perceptions. This study, on the hundredth anniversary of his birth, is a must-read for both Thomass fans and newcomers interested in an introduction to his works and the unique sensibility that created them. Chapters are devoted to his poetic perspectives, ranging from the microscopic to the cosmic; his unusual perceptions of the world, which some critics have described as those of an almost altered reality; his diction, or working vocabulary; his penchant for refurbishing clichs; his hilarious sense of humor and linguistic playfulness; his development as a poet; and his concern for sound, often resulting in a lofty, at times Biblical, though secular, tone. In summary, the study fully explores the heart and mind behind the poems, and shows why his work will always remain in the top rank of English poetry.

Reviews

A poet himself, Greenway points out in his introduction that Thomas (19141953) is known for his difficulty and his sonority and that his poetic diction has long been 'a source of critical debate.' Throughout this analysis/appreciation of Thomas's work, Greenway focuses on the tension between the simplicity of his vocabulary and the 'difficulty' of his poetry. Taking a human approach to Thomass life, personality, and techniquewith full recognition of the mountain of critical attention on Thomas's modest poetic outputGreenway demonstrates how knowing Thomass life story helps one understand the diction of his poetry. Against the charge of eccentricity, the author discusses Thomass unusual perspectives and his use of irony, paradox, and other linguistic forms. Thomas's unique concern with sound prompts Greenway to closely study Thomas's vocabulary and syntax, demonstrating how the poetry imitates the natural world. He also examines Thomass poetic diction in conjunction with Welsh culture and language. Greenway clearly agrees with Robert Lowell, who wrote that 'nothing could be more wrongheaded, than the English disputes about Dylan Thomas's greatness. . . .He is a dazzling obscure writer who can be enjoyed without understanding.'. . . .Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. * CHOICE *
When I first encountered the poetry of Dylan Thomas in 1955, I was twenty years old and a junior in college. Thomas's poetry has been a consistent and salutary staple in my literary diet from that point forward. Not until I completed and absorbed William Greenway's study, however, have I felt that I truly managed to meet Thomas on the only terms that make sensehis own. If you read Dylan Thomas: The Poetry of Personality as carefully and creatively as Greenway tells you to read Dylan Thomas's poetry, then you won't have any trouble understanding and relishing both poets, and you will sing in your chains like the sea. -- Dale H. Edmonds, Tulane University
William Greenway, an award-winning poet and literary scholar of Welsh descent, has the perfect credentials to investigate the poetry of Dylan Thomas. In Greenways convincing study of Thomas as an adorer of words, he offers even the reader skeptical of the poets achievements a clear and elegant entry into Thomass work, however dazzling and knotty the poem. -- Elton Glaser, University of Akron

Author Bio

William Greenway is professor of English at Youngstown State University.