1840 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature.
Events
- The Percy Society is established in Britain to publish scholarly editions of early ballads, poems and other works in English.
Works published in English
United Kingdom">English poetry">United Kingdom
- Thomas Aird, Orthuriel, and Other Poems
- Matthew Arnold, Alaric at Rome
- Robert Browning, Sordello
- Caroline Clive, under the pen name "V", IX Poems by 'V'
- Thomas De Quincey, Recollections of the Lake Poets, final two essays on the Lake Poets published in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine :
- * "Westmoreland and the Dalesmen," January
- * "Society of the Lakes, I, II, and III," January, March, and June
- Frederick William Faber, The Cherwell Water-Lily, and Other Poems
- Monckton Milnes, Poetry for the People
- Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841; Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
- Robert Owen, The Social Bible
- Percy Bysshe Shelley, edited by Mary Shelley, Essays, Letters from Abroad, Translations and Fragments, including the essay "Defence of Poetry"
- William Wordsworth, The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, six volumes
Other in English
- Philip Pendleton Cooke, "Florence Vane", a popular ballad, often anthologized, written for the author's cousin; first published in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine at Edgar Allan Poe's request; United States
- Thomas Moore, The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore, in 10 volumes, published starting this year and ending in 1841; Irish poet published in the United Kingdom
- Frances Sargent Osgood, The Casket of Fate, United States
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The Wreck of the Hesperus", in New World, January 10, United States
Works published in other languages
- Hans Christian Andersen, Jeg er en Skandinav, Denmark
- José de Espronceda, Poesías, including complete version of El estudiante de Salamanca, Spain
- Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich, Ulrich Zwingli, Switzerland
- Victor Hugo, Les Rayons et les Ombres, France
- Mikhail Lermontov, Mtsyri, Russia
- Taras Shevchenko, Kobzar, Russia
- Henrik Wergeland, Jan van Huysums Blomsterstykke, Norway
Births
Death years link to the corresponding " in poetry" article:- January 13 - Nicholas Flood Davin, Irish-born Canadian lawyer, journalist, politician and poet
- January 18 - Henry Austin Dobson, English poet and essayist
- February 2 - Griffith Williams (Gutyn Peris), Welsh poet
- March 5 - Constance Fenimore Woolson, American novelist, short-story writer and poet; a grandniece of James Fenimore Cooper
- March 18 - William Cosmo Monkhouse, English poet and critic
- June 2 - Thomas Hardy, English novelist and poet
- August 17 - Wilfred Scawen Blunt, English poet and writer
- September 20 - Ellen Mary Clerke, Irish author, journalist, poet and science writer
- October 5 - John Addington Symonds, English poet and literary critic
Deaths
Death years link to the corresponding " in poetry" article:- June 7 - Népomucène Lemercier, French poet and playwright
- June 12 - Gerald Griffin, Irish novelist, poet and playwright
- July - Goronwy Owen, Welsh poet
- July 7 - Nikolai Stankevich, Russian philosopher and poet