Robert Southey appointed Poet Laureate (1813)

Robert Southey, an English Romantic poet, was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1813. The position is an honorary role granted by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister, with an expectation to write verse for national occasions. Southey held the post until his death in 1843, despite personally disliking the appointment.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The British poet laureate is an honorary position appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. While the role entails no specific duties, there is an expectation that the holder will write verse for significant national occasions. The laureateship dates to 1616, but the first official laureate was John Dryden, appointed in 1668 by Charles II.

Appointment. Robert Southey was appointed Poet Laureate in 1813. He was an English poet of the Romantic school who began as a radical but became steadily more conservative as he gained respect for Britain and its institutions. Other romantics such as Byron accused him of siding with the establishment for money and status.

Tenure. Southey held the position from 1813 until his death in 1843. He came greatly to dislike the post. The appointment occurred in the same year as his publication of the Life of Horatio, Lord Viscount Nelson, which has rarely been out of print since its publication.

People involved

Sources

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