George Crabbe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Crabbe
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Portrait of Crabbe by Henry William Pickersgill, circa 1818–19
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| Born | 24 December 1754 Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 3 February 1832 (aged 77) Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England |
| Nationality | English |
| Period | 1770s to 1830s |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Subject | Rural life |
| Notable works | The Village (1783) The Borough (1810) |
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George Crabbe (born December 24, 1754 – died February 3, 1832) was an English poet, surgeon, and clergyman. He is famous for writing poems that tell realistic stories. His poems often describe the lives of ordinary people, especially those in the middle and working classes.
In the 1770s, Crabbe started training to be a doctor. He later became a surgeon. In 1780, he moved to London to try and become a poet. He faced many money problems and couldn't get his poems published. He wrote to a famous politician and writer named Edmund Burke for help. Burke was very impressed by Crabbe's poems. He promised to help Crabbe in any way he could. They became close friends. Burke helped Crabbe a lot with his writing career and also helped him find a role in the church.
Burke introduced Crabbe to important people in London's art and literature scene. These included Sir Joshua Reynolds and Samuel Johnson. Johnson even read Crabbe's poem The Village before it was published. He made a few small changes. Burke also helped Crabbe get an important job as Chaplain to the Duke of Rutland. Crabbe worked as a clergyman for the rest of his life. Burke continued to help him find these positions. Crabbe became friends with many famous writers of his time. He visited Sir Walter Scott in Scotland. William Wordsworth and other Lake Poets often visited Crabbe as guests.
Lord Byron once called Crabbe "nature's sternest painter, yet the best." This meant Crabbe showed life as it truly was, even the tough parts, but he did it very well. Crabbe's poems were mostly written in heroic couplets. They are known for being very honest about life in small towns. A modern expert, Frank Whitehead, said Crabbe is a very important poet. He believes Crabbe's work is still not valued enough. Crabbe's famous works include The Village (1783) and The Borough (1810). He also published poetry collections like Poems (1807), Tales (1812), and Tales of the Hall (1819).
Contents
George Crabbe: A Poet's Life Story
Early Years and Education
George Crabbe was born in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England. He was the oldest child of George Crabbe Sr. His father was a teacher and later a tax collector. George Jr. spent his first 25 years near his hometown. He loved books and learning from a young age. He went to school when he was very young. He enjoyed popular stories and songs. His father had a few books and read from poets like John Milton. He also gave George a magazine section for poets. George's father owned a fishing boat. He thought about making George a sailor. But he soon saw that George was not suited for that life.
George's father respected his son's love for reading. George went to boarding schools in Bungay and Stowmarket. There, he learned math and Latin. He read works by William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. Pope's writing greatly influenced George's own poems. After three years at Stowmarket, he left school. He planned to become a doctor.
In 1768, he became an apprentice to a local doctor. This doctor also ran a small farm. George often did farm work instead of medical tasks. In 1771, he moved to Woodbridge and worked for a new doctor. He stayed there until 1775. In Woodbridge, he joined a club of young men. He also met his future wife, Sarah Elmy. Crabbe called her "Mira" in some of his poems. He started writing poetry during this time. In 1772, he won a prize for a poem about hope. Other short poems by him were also printed.
A Poet's Journey to London
Crabbe published his first major poem, Inebriety, in 1775. It was a long, funny poem. He later said he was "heartily ashamed" of it. By this time, he had finished his medical training. He returned home to Aldeburgh. He wanted to study at a hospital in London. But he didn't have enough money. So, he worked as a warehouseman for a while. He finally went to London in 1777 to practice medicine. But he returned home a year later, still struggling financially. He kept working as a surgeon in Aldeburgh. However, his skills were not very good. He only had the poorest patients. His small fees were not reliable. This made it hard for him to marry Sarah. But Sarah remained loyal to him.
In late 1779, he decided to move to London again. He hoped to become a poet. If that failed, he would try to be a doctor. He moved to London in April 1780. He had little success. By May, he had to pawn some of his belongings. He wrote many poems but couldn't get them published. He wrote letters asking for support, but they were all turned down. In June, he saw the Gordon Riots, which were violent protests. He wrote about them in his journal. He managed to publish a poem called The Candidate. But critics did not like it.
He kept getting more and more debt. His creditors demanded payment. He later told a friend that he often ate only meat on Sundays. In early 1781, he wrote to Edmund Burke asking for help. He included some of his poems. Burke was moved by Crabbe's letter. He met Crabbe and gave him money for his immediate needs. He also promised to help Crabbe's writing career. Among the poems Crabbe sent were parts of The Library and The Village.
Soon after their first meeting, Burke told his friend Sir Joshua Reynolds that Crabbe had "the mind and feelings of a gentleman." Burke treated Crabbe like a friend. He welcomed him into his home at Beaconsfield. Crabbe had his own room and books. He became part of the family. This time with Burke helped him learn and grow. He met many new friends, including Charles James Fox and Samuel Johnson. He finished his poems and revised others with Burke's help. Burke helped him publish The Library anonymously in June 1781. Critics gave it modest praise.
Life as a Clergyman and Writer
Through their friendship, Burke realized Crabbe would be a better clergyman than a surgeon. Crabbe knew Latin well and was very religious. He was also well-read in the Bible. Burke helped him become a clergyman in his hometown on December 21, 1781. Crabbe returned to Aldeburgh to live with his sister and father. His mother had died while he was away. Crabbe was surprised that his townsmen treated him poorly. They didn't like his rise in social class. With Burke's help, Crabbe left Aldeburgh the next year. He became chaplain to the Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle. This was unusual because such a job usually went to a family member.
Crabbe's time as chaplain at Belvoir was not always happy. The Duke and Duchess were kind to him. But his manners were a bit rough. His position as a writer who depended on them made things difficult with others in the house. However, the Duke, Duchess, and many guests were interested in Crabbe's writing. During this time, his poem The Village was published in May 1783. It became very popular with the public and critics. Samuel Johnson praised the poem. He said it was "original, vigorous, and elegant."
Crabbe stayed friends with Burke, Reynolds, and others. He visited the theater and was impressed by actresses Sarah Siddons and Dorothea Jordan. It was decided that Crabbe needed a college degree. He got an LL.B. degree from the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1783. This degree helped Crabbe get two small church jobs in Dorsetshire. On the strength of these jobs, Crabbe and Sarah Elmy married in December 1783. They moved to Belvoir Castle. In 1784, the Duke of Rutland became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Crabbe did not go with him. But they remained close friends. The young couple stayed at Belvoir for about 18 more months. Then, Crabbe accepted a church job in Stathern, Leicestershire. They moved there in 1785. They had a child at Belvoir who died soon after birth. In Stathern, they had three more children. Two sons, George and John, were born in 1785 and 1787. A daughter was born in 1789 but died as a baby. Crabbe later said his four years at Stathern were the happiest of his life.
Continuing His Literary Journey
In October 1787, the Duke of Rutland died young at age 35. Crabbe helped with the funeral. The Duchess wanted Crabbe nearby. She helped him get two new church jobs in Muston, Leicestershire, and Allington, Lincolnshire. Crabbe moved his family to Muston in February 1789. He stayed there for three years. Another son, Edmund, was born in 1790. In 1792, the Crabbe family inherited an estate in Parham. This solved all their money problems. Crabbe soon moved his family there. Their son William was born that same year.
Crabbe was not happy at Parham. The previous owner had been very social. Crabbe preferred a quieter life. He found comfort in his friend Dudley Long North. After four years at Parham, the Crabbes moved to Great Glemham, Suffolk. They stayed there for four or five years. In 1796, their third son, Edmund, died at age six. This was a terrible blow to Sarah. She began suffering from a nervous disorder and never fully recovered. Crabbe was a very caring husband. He looked after her until her death in 1813.
While at Glemham, Crabbe wrote several novels. None of them were published. After Glemham, Crabbe moved to Rendham, Suffolk. He stayed there until 1805. He almost finished his poem The Parish Register there. He also started The Borough. In 1805, Crabbe saw Walter Scott's poem Lay of the Last Minstrel. He read it in a bookshop and knew a great new poet had arrived. In October 1805, Crabbe returned to Muston with his family. He had been away for almost 13 years.
In September 1807, Crabbe published a new book of poems. It included The Library, The Newspaper, and The Village. The main new poem was The Parish Register. This book made Crabbe known as an important poet. Four editions were printed in the next year and a half. Critics praised it. In 1809, Crabbe sent a copy of his poems to Walter Scott. Scott replied kindly. He said he had wanted to meet Crabbe for over twenty years. This led to a friendship that lasted until both authors died in 1832.
The success of The Parish Register encouraged Crabbe to write a much longer poem. He had been working on The Borough for several years. It was published in 1810. Despite some flaws, The Borough was a huge success. It went through six editions in six years. When he visited London later, he was surprised by how well he was received. "In my own village," he said, "they think nothing of me." The three years after The Borough were lonely for him. His two sons, George and John, were with him. They had both become clergymen. But Mrs. Crabbe's health was very poor. Crabbe had no daughter or female relative to help him care for her.
Final Years and Legacy
Crabbe's next book of poems, Tales, was published in 1812. It was well-received and is considered his best work. In 1813, Mrs. Crabbe felt well enough to visit London. The family spent almost three months there. Crabbe visited old friends and helped the poor. He remembered his own struggles in the city years ago. The family returned to Muston in September. Mrs. Crabbe died at the end of October at age 63. Crabbe became very ill soon after his wife's death. But he recovered and returned to his church duties. In 1814, he became rector of St James' in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. He stayed there for the rest of his life.
His two sons followed him to Trowbridge. John became his father's assistant. George became a clergyman nearby. Crabbe's fame as a poet continued to grow. He was welcomed in many homes. He met the poet William Lisle Bowles. Bowles introduced him to the noble family at Bowood House. There, Crabbe met the poet Samuel Rogers, who became a close friend. In 1817, Crabbe stayed in London to enjoy the literary scene. He met Thomas Campbell and his future publisher John Murray.
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| The inscription reads: SACRED to the memory of THE REVd G. CRABBE L.L.B. who died on the 3rd of February 1832 in the 78th year of his age and the 18th year of his services as rector of this parish. Born in humble life, he made himself what he was; breaking through the obscurity of his birth by the force of his genius; yet he never ceased to feel for the less fortunate; entering, as his works can testify, into the sorrows and wants of the poorest of his parishioners, and so discharging the duties of a pastor and a magistrate as to endear himself to all around him, as a writer he cannot be better described than in the words of a great poet, his contemporary, "tho' nature's sternest painter, yet her best". This monument was erected by some of his affectionate friends and parishioners. |
In June 1819, Crabbe published Tales of the Hall. He spent his last 13 years in Trowbridge. He visited friends in Bath and Hampstead. From Hampstead, he could easily visit his literary friends in London. William Wordsworth and Robert Southey sometimes stayed with his family. Around 1820, Crabbe began to suffer from severe nerve pain. This, along with his age, made it harder to travel.
In the spring of 1822, Crabbe met Walter Scott in London for the first time. He promised to visit Scott in Scotland that autumn. He kept his promise during King George IV's visit to Edinburgh. Scott returned from meeting the King to find Crabbe at his home. Later in 1822, Crabbe was invited to Belvoir Castle for Christmas. But he couldn't go because of the winter weather. At home, he kept writing many poems. He left 21 manuscript books when he died. Some of these were published in 1834 as Posthumous Poems. Crabbe continued to visit Hampstead in the 1820s. He often met the writer Joanna Baillie. In autumn 1831, Crabbe visited the Hoares. He left them in November, feeling sad that it might be his last visit. He then went to his son George's home. He preached twice for his son. His son joked that he would be helping him in ten years. Crabbe replied, "Ten weeks," and he was almost right.
After a short time, Crabbe returned home to Trowbridge. In early January, he felt very drowsy. He thought it was a sign of weakness. Later that month, he got a bad cold. Other problems arose, and it became clear he would not live much longer. He died on February 3, 1832. His two sons and his nurse were by his side.
His Unique Poetry Style
Crabbe's poems were mostly written in heroic couplets. They are known for being very honest about life in small towns. John Wilson said Crabbe was the best at showing the many different sides of common life in England. He added that Crabbe's poems always showed how feelings are affected by society's rules. The Cambridge History of English Literature said Crabbe's importance was in his influence. He showed that everyday facts and details could be used in poetry.
Crabbe's work is unique and hard to put into one category. His best poems are original. They use a new, realistic way of telling stories in poetry. A big reason for this was the changing readers in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Before, literature was mostly for rich and educated people. But with the rise of the middle class, more people wanted to read. There were more local newspapers and books published in parts. Libraries also grew. This meant literature needed to reach more people.
Storytelling poems were not common in older styles of poetry. So, Crabbe's use of narrative in his later works was new. This was partly because novels were becoming popular. Another new thing about Crabbe's poetry was his attention to small details. He described things and people very carefully. Older critics thought small details should be avoided. Crabbe also broke tradition by writing about ordinary people. He wrote about middle and working-class society. Poor characters like "Peter Grimes" from The Borough would not have been accepted by older critics. In this way, Crabbe created a new way to show life and society in poetry.
What Others Thought of His Work
William Wordsworth believed Crabbe's poetry would last a long time. He thought it combined truth and poetry very well. However, Wordsworth also sometimes felt Crabbe's view of human nature was not very poetic. William Hazlitt agreed. He said Crabbe's characters were like "anatomical preservations." He meant they felt too stiff and not alive. Lord Byron greatly admired Crabbe's poetry. He called him "nature's sternest painter, yet the best." Byron felt that English poetry had been getting worse. He saw Crabbe as the last hope of a declining age.
Other people who admired Crabbe included Jane Austen, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Sir Walter Scott. Scott used many quotes from Crabbe's poems in his novels. When Scott was very ill, Crabbe was the last writer he asked to have read to him. According to critic Frank Whitehead, Crabbe is a very important poet. He believes Crabbe's work is still not valued enough. His early poems were essays in verse. They earned him praise from writers like Samuel Johnson. Then, for 20 years, he wrote a lot but published almost nothing. In 1807, he published Poems. This book started his new realistic storytelling style. This style defined his poetry for the rest of his career. Whitehead says this narrative poetry should be the main focus when studying Crabbe today.
Q. D. Leavis called Crabbe a "living classic." T. S. Eliot also supported his classic status. Eliot said that good poetry must first have the qualities of good prose. Critic Arthur Pollard believes Crabbe definitely met this standard. Critic William Caldwell Roscoe explained why Crabbe wrote in verse, not prose. He said Crabbe's letters and prefaces were correct but lifeless. But his verse showed how much he went beyond just "good prose." The critic F. L. Lucas described Crabbe's qualities. He called him "naïve, yet shrewd; straightforward, yet sardonic; blunt, yet tender; quiet, yet passionate; realistic, yet romantic." Crabbe is seen as a complex poet. He is often dismissed as being too narrow in his interests. But Pollard says Crabbe still defies easy classification.
Pollard has looked at why Crabbe's work is not read as much today. He wonders why Crabbe's realism and his verse stories didn't appeal to the Victorian age. He also asks why Browning succeeded while Crabbe's fame faded. He questions why modern readers still struggle to appreciate him. Many people only read parts of Crabbe's work. This suggests that while some parts may have faded, much of it still deserves to be read.
His Love for Beetles
Crabbe was also known for studying beetles. He was called a coleopterist. He is credited with finding the first specimen of Calosoma sycophanta L. recorded in Suffolk. He wrote an essay about the natural history of the Vale of Belvoir. This essay was published in 1790. It included a long list of local beetles. It mentioned over 70 different species.
His Work on Stage
Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes is based on Crabbe's poem The Borough. Britten also used a part of The Borough in his Five Flower Songs. Charles Lamb's play The Wife's Trial; or, The Intruding Widow was written in 1827. It was based on Crabbe's story "The Confidant."
Images for kids
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George Crabbe.
See also
In Spanish: George Crabbe para niños
