Richard Taylor : żminijietu, ħidmietu u l-poeżija tal-giaħan

Abstract

This dissertation, which focuses on the literary work of Richard Taylor (1818-1868) is divided into three parts. The first part tackles briefly the historical, social and cultural aspects of Maltese life towards the middle of last century. This historical and cultural background sheds more light on Taylor's literary production. The second part gives a brief account of Taylor's literary work: as a popular poet, as a staunchly patriotic journalist and as a translator. The aim is to show how, in the light of the Romantic Movement, Taylor strives to write popular verse which is easily accessible to the majority of the people. The last part of this dissertation is a study of most of the poems which Taylor published in the forty-six numbers of his journal Giahan between September 1846 and January 1848. Taylor's poems, which certainly contributed to the popularization of poetry amongst the mases, arc grouped in literary genre~ and analysed accordingly.