Denounced by a Victiorian critic as a "libidinous laureate of a pack of satyrs", Swinburne's oeuvre includes forays into the realms of political, moral and spiritual revolt, themes which ran counter to the bourgeois solidity of the Victorian era. Three of his best works which illustrate this are "Anactoria", which includes the memorable line: "Exceeding pleasure in superflux of pain", an illustration of the sadistic dimension of the lesbian protagonists' relationship, "Dolores" and "Hertha" which places Swinburne in the camp of mystical transcendentalism. This collection is a must for those who want to be acquainted with one of the greatest poets in the English language, a virtuoso of metrical composition, as well as a lyric champion of vice.

Algernon Charles Swinburne is in my opion the finest english Elizabethian Age Poet. He wrote so much of such a consistently high standard. If you like classical poetry, you owe it to yourself to find this book. Sadly most books with his poetry in it are in Library bindings, and; therefore, unaffordable for most individuals. Find his poetry, and he will create a new world for you. I can't say enough good things about this writer. His understanding of human feelings, and our innate kinship with myticism and shadows are clearly present in his early works. In addition, his meter formats are among the most intense and intricate I have ever read. If you claim to enjoy poetry. Do yourself a favor and find Swinburne. Here is a sample from his work "The Garden of Proserpine"

"I am tired of tears and laughter,/ And men that laugh and weep;/ Of what may come hereafter/ For men that sow to reap: I am weary of days and hours,/ Blown buds of barren flowers,/ Desires and dreams and powers/ And everything but sleep."

Swinburne is one of the most lyrical poets of England. He has often been accused of writing poetry that is nothing but a lot of empty musical sounds; this is patently false, as Swinburne was quite capable of capturing vivid images and intriguing psychologies, a talent which is best evinced in poems such as "Anactoria." However, even if it were true, the "empty musical sounds" have enough innate value to redeem his entire poetic canon!

Swinburne has been my favorite poet since I passed out of my Goethe phase at around seventeen. So what if he writes in stilted, outdated language using images that have passed out of our cultural mileau? He puts words together intricately. He writes beautifully. If you read other people's accounts of him (see 'The Education of Henry Adams' for one) he was considered one of the smartest people to ever live.

He's a fine poet albeit an acquired taste. It's great that you can buy a volume of his completed works rather than having to see two works in a Norton's anthology and then... nothing...

I doubt that he'll ever again be a crowd favorite. If you've gotten to this review, buy this book. He's awesome.

Although Connolly makes some bold, difficult to conclusively prove statements early on--including the assertion that ACS refuted "art-for-art's-sake" in favor of purely social or political themes--the majority of the book is an effective tour of Swinburnian theory at work in the poet's verse and criticism. Drawing on Swinburne's critical essays, Connolly traces an emerging poetic theory with clear examples from the poet's most controversial work, logically establishing Swinburne's unique and unwavering standard of morality. The lines of Greek classicism are well supported in Connolly's argument, offering a clear insight into the inner workings of a poet whose critical theory is consistent in both his critical and poetic work. Swinburnian's will want to add this book to their reference library.

Thomas's "Swinburne" is an acceptable biography, conveying the necessary names, dates and places of ACS's life. The volume, however, is curiously thin, given the monster tomes generated in recent years on Morris, Ruskin and other members of the mid-Victorian set. In covering his territory, one gets the impression that Thomas didn't quite know what to do with the prurient bits of Swinburne's life, alternately dwelling on them and skipping past them. Nonetheless, students of mid-Victorian culture should be grateful for a thoughtful book on so shamefully neglected a poet.