Title: Gray Agonistes
First published: October 31, 1996
Description: Gray Agonistes is the first book to examine in detail the intersection in Thomas Gray's life and poetry of Milton's career and achievement and Gray's intense sexual relationship with Richard West (and, to a lesser extent, with Horace Walpole and Thomas Ashton, all of whom banded together at Eton as the Quadruple Alliance). In all of Gray's poetry, Robert F. Gleckner discovers sites of intense and heroic struggle, both with Milton's ghost and with Gray's need to articulate his passionate attachment to West.

After West's early death in 1742, Gray's foreboding became anguish and he became the poet of Elegy in a Country Courtyard.
Subjects: Biography, English Love poetry, English Poets, Friends and associates, Friendship, History, History and criticism, Homosexuality and literature, Influence, Love poetry, English, Male authors, Male friendship in literature, Masculinity in literature, Poets, English, Sexual orientation in literature, Mannerfreundschaft, Criticism and interpretation, Homoseksualiteit, Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.), Gray, thomas, 1716-1771, Milton, john, 1608-1674, Latin poetry, translations into english, Love poetry, history and criticism, Poets, Men in literature, Latin poetry, Translations into English
Places: England
People: John Milton (1608-1674), Richard West (1716-1742), Thomas Gray (1716-1771)
Time periods: 18th century
LC classification: PR3503 .G48 1997