Review of The Higher Self in Christopher Brennan's Poems: Esotericism, Romanticism, Symbolism by Katherine Barnes

Abstract

Some years ago a well known anthologist and critic tried to justify his omission of the work of Christopher Brennan from an anthology of modem Australian poetry by saying that Brennan was now mainly of interest to academics. This was an odd statement because Brennan has been a significant figure for a number of contemporary poets, from Robert Adamson and Bruce Beaver to Geoffrey Lehmann and John Tranter. These writers are only a few of those who have written poems addressed to Brennan, or about him. Several poets and critics from an earlier generation, among them A.D. Hope, James McAuley, Noel Macainsh and Judith Wright, were deeply engaged with Brennan's verse and wrote about various aspects of his life and work.