1840 in poetry

Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).

Events

The Percy Society is established in Britain to publish scholarly editions of early ballads, poems and other works in English.^[1]

Thomas Aird, Orthuriel, and Other Poems^[2]
Matthew Arnold, Alaric at Rome^[2]
Robert Browning, Sordello^[2]
Caroline Clive, under the pen name "V", IX Poems by 'V'^[2]
Thomas De Quincey, Recollections of the Lake Poets, final two essays on the Lake Poets published in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine (first essay published in 1836; see also Recollections 1835, 1839):
- "Westmoreland and the Dalesmen," January
- "Society of the Lakes, I, II, and III," January, March, and June
Frederick William Faber, The Cherwell Water-Lily, and Other Poems^[2]
Monckton Milnes, Poetry for the People
Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841;^[2] Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
Robert Owen, The Social Bible^[2]
Percy Bysshe Shelley (died 1822), edited by Mary Shelley, Essays, Letters from Abroad, Translations and Fragments, including the essay "Defence of Poetry"
William Wordsworth, The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, six volumes (see also reprint of 1842 with a seventh volume of additional poems; Miscellaneous Poems 1820; Poetical Works 1827; Poetical Works 1836; Poems 1845; Poetical Works 1857; Poetical Works, Centenary Edition, 1870)^[2]

Philip Pendleton Cooke, "Florence Vane", a popular ballad, often anthologized, written for the author's cousin; first published in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine at Edgar Allan Poe's request; United States^[3]
Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841;^[2] Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
Frances Sargent Osgood, The Casket of Fate, United States^[4]
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Wreck of the Hesperus", in New World, January 10, United States

Hans Christian Andersen, Jeg er en Skandinav ("I am a Scandinavian"), Denmark^[5]
JosÃ© de Espronceda, PoesÃas, including complete version of El estudiante de Salamanca, Spain
Abraham Emanuel FrÃ¶hlich, Ulrich Zwingli, Switzerland
Victor Hugo, Les Rayons et les Ombres ("Beams and shadows"), France^[6]
Mikhail Lermontov, Mtsyri ("The Novice"), Russia
Taras Shevchenko, Kobzar ("The Bard"), Russia
Henrik Wergeland, Jan van Huysums Blomsterstykke ("Flower-piece by Jan van Huysum"), Norway

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:

January 13 â Nicholas Flood Davin (died 1901), Irish-born Canadian lawyer, journalist, politician and poet
January 18 â Henry Austin Dobson (died 1921), English poet and essayist
February 2 â Griffith Williams (Gutyn Peris) (died 1838), Welsh poet
March 5 â Constance Fenimore Woolson (died 1894), American novelist, short-story writer and poet; a grandniece of James Fenimore Cooper
March 18 â William Cosmo Monkhouse (died 1901), English poet and critic
June 2 â Thomas Hardy (died 1928), English novelist and poet
August 17 â Wilfred Scawen Blunt (died 1922), English poet and writer
September 20 â Ellen Mary Clerke (died 1906), Irish author, journalist, poet and science writer
October 5 â John Addington Symonds (died 1893), English poet and literary critic

Death years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article: