Lanier, << luh NEER, >> Sidney (1842-1881), was an American poet. He became famous for his poems about the beauty of the South. Lanier’s works also include children’s poems and books on English literature.
Lanier’s best-known poem, “The Marshes of Glynn” (1878), describes a wild, swampy, heavily wooded area near the coast of Georgia. His other major poems include “Corn” (1875) and “The Symphony” (1875). In “Corn,” Lanier contrasted the abundance of Southern agriculture with what he considered the false, sterile values of Northern commerce. In “The Symphony,” he experimented with the use of musical concepts, such as tone and rhythm. Throughout this poem, Lanier attempted to imitate the sounds of the various instruments of an orchestra. “The Symphony” became popular in the 1800’s, but later critics do not rank it among his best works.
Lanier was born on Feb. 2, 1842, in Macon, Georgia. He graduated from Oglethorpe College in 1860. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (1861-1865) and spent four months in a prison camp. Lanier returned to Macon after the war, penniless and in poor health. He suffered from tuberculosis for the rest of his life. In 1867, he published his only novel, Tiger-Lilies, an account of his war experiences. Later, Lanier studied law and then entered his father’s law firm because he could not earn enough money as a writer.
In 1873, Lanier resumed his writing career. He moved to Baltimore, where he soon gained a reputation as a poet. In 1879, he became a lecturer in English literature at Johns Hopkins University. At Johns Hopkins, Lanier wrote such works as The Science of English Verse (1880) and The English Novel (1883). In his book about English poetry, Lanier declared that a poem’s musical rhythm or sound is its most important and exciting quality.
During his last years, Lanier edited children’s books. He wrote “The Revenge of Hamish” (1878), which became one of his most popular poems for children. Lanier also retold the legends of King Arthur’s court in The Boy’s King Arthur (1880). He died on Sept. 7, 1881.
