John Fitchett facts for kids
John Fitchett (1776-1838) was an English poet. He is best known for writing one of the longest poems ever in the English language.
About John Fitchett
John Fitchett was born on September 21, 1776. Sadly, he became an orphan at a very young age. This means both his parents had passed away.
He studied law and became a lawyer, also known as an attorney. He lived in a town called Warrington in England. In 1796, he published his first work. It was a poem named Bewsey, a Poem. John Fitchett never married. He passed away on October 20, 1838.
The Epic Poem King Alfred
John Fitchett is most famous for writing a very long poem called King Alfred. This poem is an epic poem. An epic poem is a long story poem, often about heroes and great events.
Writing the Poem
It took John Fitchett an amazing forty years to write King Alfred! The poem tells the story of an English King named Alfred the Great. King Alfred lived during the 9th century. He was famous for fighting bravely against the Vikings.
A Record-Breaking Poem
King Alfred is a very special poem. It is probably the longest poem ever written in the English language. It has over 131,000 lines!
John Fitchett did not get to finish the poem before he died. But his friend, Robert Roscoe, helped out. Robert Roscoe finished the poem and added 2,585 more lines. He then helped publish it in 1841 and 1842.
