Walter de la Mare
Walter de la Mare: A Life of Poetic Vision
Full Name and Common Aliases
Walter John de la Mare was born on April 4, 1873, in Charlton, Kent, England. He is commonly known by his pen name, Walter de la Mare.
Birth and Death Dates
April 4, 1873 – June 22, 1956
Nationality and Profession(s)
De la Mare was a British poet, novelist, short story writer, and critic. His work spans multiple genres, including poetry, children's literature, and literary criticism.
Early Life and Background
De la Mare was born into a family of modest means. His father, William de la Mare, was a solicitor who encouraged his son's early interest in writing. De la Mare grew up in an era marked by significant social change, including the rise of industrialization and urbanization. These experiences would later influence his writing, often reflecting on the tension between nature and human society.
Major Accomplishments
De la Mare's contributions to literature are numerous and far-reaching:
Poetry: His poetry collections, such as "The Listeners" (1912) and "Dove's Song" (1920), showcased his unique blend of traditional forms and modernist sensibilities.
Children's Literature: De la Mare was a pioneer in the field of children's literature. His works, like "Peacock Pie" (1929), offered imaginative and often melancholic stories for young readers.
Short Story Writing: De la Mare's short stories frequently explored themes of identity, morality, and the human condition.Notable Works or Actions
Some notable works by de la Mare include:
"The Listeners," a poem that has become one of his most famous works. The poem describes a scene in which a traveler encounters an eerie silence.
"Wheels" (1933): This novel explores themes of identity and human connection through the story of a man who becomes obsessed with a mysterious woman.Impact and Legacy
De la Mare's impact on literature is multifaceted:
Influence on Children's Literature: His contributions to children's literature paved the way for future authors, including notable figures like J.R.R. Tolkien.
Poetic Innovation: De la Mare's poetry often blended traditional forms with modernist elements, influencing later poets and shaping the course of 20th-century poetry.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Walter de la Mare's work continues to be widely quoted and remembered due to its:
Timeless Themes: His writing explores universal themes that remain relevant today, including identity, morality, and human connection.
* Poetic Vision: De la Mare's unique blend of traditional forms and modernist sensibilities has made his poetry enduringly popular.
De la Mare's life and work serve as a testament to the power of imagination and the importance of exploring complex themes through literature.
Quotes by Walter de la Mare
Science, I am told, is making great strides, experimenting, groping after things which no sane man has ever dreamed of before – without being burned alive for it.
I believe in the devil, in the Powers of Darkness, Lawford, as firmly as I believe he and they are powerless – in the long run. They – what shall we say? – have surrendered their intrinsicality. You can just go through evil, as you can go through a sewer, and come out on the other side. A loathsome process too.
And I suffered the streaming light to fall upon me, as I gazed into my joy and triumph with a kind of severe nonchalance. But though my face under my three-cornered hat can have expressed only calmness and resolution, I knew in my heart that my thoughts were merely a thin wisp of smoke above the crater of a suppressed volcano.
The time’s gone by for sentiment and all that foolery. Mercy’s all very well but after all it’s justice that clinches the bargain.
I know well that only the rarest kind of best can be good enough for the young.
It was this mystery, bereft now of all fear, and this beauty together that made life the endless, changing and yet changeless, thing it was. And yet mystery and loveliness alike were really only appreciable with one’s legs, as it were, dangling down over into the grave.
Unless you were preternaturally busy and preoccupied, you simply couldn’t live on and on in a haunted house without being occasionally reminded of its ghosts.
They say death’s a going to bed; I doubt it; but anyhow life’s a long undressing. We came in puling and naked, and every stitch must come off before we get out again. We must stand on our feet in all our Rabelaisian nakedness, and watch the world fade.