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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 7544


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'In the [italics]Autobiography[end italics] he tells us of the impact of Byron on him and his friend Dave: "His influence on Dave was so great that it was publicly shown to all the boys and girls in the chapel's schoolroom... While we were playing kiss in the ring, singing and laughing... Dave would lean his figure... against a pillar, biting his lips and frowning at our merrymaking"... His friend soon tired of this Byronic posing, but Davies marks the occasion as the first time he was really attracted to poetry with enjoyment and serious purpose. He went on to read Shelley, Marlowe's plays, and some further Shakespeare. Wordsworth failed to attract him, though he later studied him very diligently'.

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

1885

Country:

Wales

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Newport

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

William Henry Davies

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

3 Jul 1871

Socio-Economic Group:

Clerk / tradesman / artisan / smallholder

Occupation:

iron moulder's son, later poet

Religion:

Christian

Country of Origin:

Wales

Country of Experience:

Wales

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Christopher Marlowe

Title:

n/a

Genre:

Drama

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

7544

Source:

Print

Author:

Richard J. Stonesifer

Editor:

n/a

Title:

W.H. Davies: A Critical Biography

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1963

Vol:

n/a

Page:

21

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Richard J. Stonesifer, W.H. Davies: A Critical Biography, (London, 1963), p. 21, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=7544, accessed: 10 October 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
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