Poetry for Poetry's Sake An Inaugural Lecture Delivered on June 5, 1901

Poetry for Poetry's Sake by Andrew C. Bradley reopens the enduring debate over art's purpose with the calm authority of a seasoned scholar and critic. Delivered as an inaugural lecture at the University of Oxford on June 5, 1901, Bradley's address confronts the idea of "art for art's sake," the critic's responsibilities, and the delicate balance between intellectual analysis and spontaneous feeling in poetic practice. Bradley—renowned as Professor of Poetry at Oxford—frames his argument within the turn-of-the-century literary landscape, tracing how tradition, academic duty, and aesthetic instincts shape both poets and readers. His measured prose examines themes central to literary criticism and poetry: the aims of verse, the dangers of over-simplification, and the university's role in cultivating taste. Though concise, the lecture preserves the conversational liveliness of a spoken presentation while offering precise critical insight characteristic of early 20th-century scholarship. Ideal for students of literature, lovers of poetry, and anyone curious about aesthetic theory, this audiobook delivers a compact, historically rooted reflection on why poetry matters—and how we ought to talk about it.