Robert Southey

Author Code: ERSX

Educated at Westminster School in London and Oxford University, Southey began writing while still at school. Of a rebellious nature in his youth, Southey was greatly influenced by the ideals of the French Revolution and, in 1796, published Joan of Arc, a poem which supported it. He traveled to Portugal in 1795 and it was during this visit that his political attitudes began to change. By the time of his second visit in 1800-01, Southey had become a confirmed Tory. He was extremely versatile and produced a huge number of works which included poems, criticism, essays, biographies, translations and others. For 30 years from 1809 he wrote for the Tory Quarterly Review. Many of the political articles from that journal are among his best prose work. In 1813, Southey was appointed Poet Laureate. He also developed life-long friendships with Wordsworth and Coleridge. Among Southey's better-known works are Thalaba (1801), Madoc (1805), The Curse of Kehama (1810), Omniana (1812), Life of Nelson (1813), History of Brazil (1810-1819), Life of Wesley (1820), A Vision of Judgement (1821), Lives of the British Admirals (1833-40), The Doctor (a series published from 1834-47), and Essays Moral and Political (1832).