| Summary: | R.S. Thomas (1913-2000) is the most recognizable literary figure in Wales. His controversial politics and public personality made him a cultural icon and have led to debates about his importance. Yet these debates have too-often marginalized the poetry itself and have produced a deficient understanding of his work. This study argues that Thomas's reputation must be grounded in poetry, not personality. Accordingly, the author traces Thomas's poetic development over six decades, analyzing his various prosodies and demonstrating how the tensions and anxieties within Thomas manifest themselves in.
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