About this book
The Humorous Poetry of the English Language; from Chaucer to Saxe by James Parton is a rollicking anthology that traces how wit, satire, and comic verse evolved across English and American letters. Parton's carefully curated collection—spanning narratives, satires, burlesques, parodies, epigrams, epitaphs, and translations—brings together more than two hundred comic pieces by masters from Chaucer and Swift to Burns, Thackeray, Hood, Holmes, Saxe, and Lowell.
Rich with historical context and enlivened by explanatory and biographical notes, the anthology highlights how humor responded to changing social tastes and literary fashions from medieval verse to Victorian whimsy. Selections draw from celebrated sources such as the Anti-Jacobin, Punch, the Ingoldsby Legends, and leading periodicals, revealing the range of English-language comic poetry—from sly satire and travesty to playful pastiche and witty epigram. Parton’s editorial choices favor pieces that remain accessible and entertaining to modern listeners while offering insight into the period’s manners and attitudes.
Ideal for fans of literature, poetry, and humor, this audiobook is perfect for anyone curious about the craft of comic verse, students of literary history, or listeners who enjoy a sharp, cultured laugh across the centuries.
