Who was John Clare? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In July

Died At Age: 70

Poets British Men

Died on: May 20, 1864

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1

What were some major themes in John Clare's poetry?

Some major themes in John Clare's poetry include nature, rural life, environmental change, social issues, and the impact of industrialization.
2

How did John Clare's mental health affect his writing?

John Clare's mental health struggles, including depression and schizophrenia, influenced his writing by providing a unique perspective on nature and society, as seen in his vivid and introspective poetry.
3

What is John Clare's significance in the Romantic poetry movement?

John Clare is considered a significant figure in the Romantic poetry movement due to his focus on nature, his exploration of individual experience, and his portrayal of rural life in a changing society.
4

How did John Clare's background and upbringing influence his poetry?

John Clare's humble background as a working-class poet who had a deep connection to the natural world greatly influenced his poetry, giving it an authentic and heartfelt quality.
5

What was the impact of John Clare's work on later poets and writers?

John Clare's work had a lasting impact on later poets and writers, inspiring them with his honest depiction of nature, rural life, and the human experience, influencing the development of environmental and nature poetry.

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Childhood & Early Life

John Clare was born in Helpston, a village in England, into the family of farm labourers. His father’s name was Parker Clare. He received little formal education and attended school only till he was 12.

He had to become a farm labourer while still a child in order to support his poor family.

His family struggled to make ends meet, and in order to make a living, young John worked as a waiter, a gardener, and a farm hand. But in spite of doing various odd jobs, he still had to accept parish relief.

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Career

Clare liked to read and had a copy of Thomson’s Seasons. Inspired by the poet, he began to write his own poems and sonnets. He sold his first volume of poems to a local bookseller who sent it to the publishing firm, Taylor & Hessey.

His first poetry book, ‘Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery’ was out in 1820. This book was critically acclaimed and became a big success. He was particularly appreciated for the lucid language and vivid descriptions of nature and her elements.

Following the success of his first book, he traveled to Londen where he met other writers and poets like John Keats, William Hazlitt, and Thomas De Quincey.

He published his second book, ‘Village Minstrel and Other Poems’ in 1821. Even though it was well received by his readers, it failed to live up to the success of his debut book.

Throughout the 1820s, he wrote on a variety of topics, exploring different genres, though he never published the majority of his works. He had begin work on his autobiography, ‘Sketches in the Life of John Clare’, which he was never able to finish.

As a poet, he was more focused on creativity of his expressions than on the formal rules of the written word. He rarely used punctuations, misspelled many words, and used terms borrowed from the local dialect in his poems.

He published his next book, ‘The Shepherd's Calendar with Village Stories and Other Poems’ in 1827, but was able to sell only a few copies. By now, he had a large family to feed and was under immense financial stress. He developed a drinking problem and his health also began to deteriorate.

Embroiled in financial and health problems, he published his last work, ‘The Rural Muse’ in 1835. The book received positive reviews but could not generate enough sales to sustain Clare financially. As a result, his drinking problem worsened and he began to have mental problems.

On realizing that he had serious psychological issues, Clare went of his own accord to Dr Matthew Allen's private asylum High Beach near Loughton in 1837, where he was assured of the best medical care. He absconded from the asylum in 1841 and traveled back to his home.

He was later committed to the Northampton General Lunatic Asylum where he continued writing poems until his death in 1864. It was at this asylum that he wrote his most famous poem, ‘I Am’, which was published in 1848.

Major Works

His first published work, ‘Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery’ (1820) became an unexpected success and sold more than 3000 copies in its first year—an astounding achievement for a first time poet. It was reprinted three times.

Ironically, he wrote his best known poem, ‘I Am’ during his stay in an asylum for patients with mental illness when he was feeling isolated from his family and friends. In the poem, he reasserts that he will find peace in death through his love of the natural world. The poem was written in 1844-45 and published in 1848.

Personal Life & Legacy

As a young man he was in love with a girl named Mary Joyce with whom he could not have a relationship because of her father’s disapproval. But ,he never forgot her, and years later, in a state of delirium he claimed that she was his first wife.

He married Martha ("Patty") Turner in 1820. The couple had nine children, many of whom died in their infancy. The family lived a miserable life racked by poverty, made worse by his mental problems and alcohol consumption.

Trivia

The sad life of this romantic poet began with a tragedy, his twin sister died in her infancy in spite being born a healthy baby.

He suffered from chronic malnourishment during his growing years which resulted in his poor health throughout life.

During his later years, he had delusions that he was Lord Byron and Shakespeare in previous lives.

John Clare Biography

You wanted to know

What were some major themes in John Clare's poetry?

How did John Clare's mental health affect his writing?

What is John Clare's significance in the Romantic poetry movement?

How did John Clare's background and upbringing influence his poetry?

What was the impact of John Clare's work on later poets and writers?