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Thomas MooreIrish poet
Date of Birth: 28.05.1779
Country:  Ireland |
Content:
- Thomas Moore: A Life in Letters and Lyrics
- Literary Success in London
- "Irish Melodies" and "Lalla Rookh"
- Biographer and Critic
- Bermuda and Financial Troubles
- Personal Life and Legacy
Thomas Moore: A Life in Letters and Lyrics
Early Life and RebellionThomas Moore was born on May 28, 1779, in Dublin, Ireland. In 1798, he graduated from Trinity College Dublin. The same year, the United Irishmen rebellion ignited Moore's patriotic fervor, which was further fueled by the execution of his friend Robert Emmet in 1803.
Literary Success in London
In 1799, Moore moved to London, where his translations of Anacreon (1800) gained wide acclaim. He published his first collection of poems (1801) under the pseudonym Thomas Little.
"Irish Melodies" and "Lalla Rookh"
Moore's "Irish Melodies" were published in installments from 1808 to 1834, with music composed by John Stevenson and Henry Bishop. Several of the songs included in the Melodies remain popular today. In 1817, Moore's "eastern" verse tale "Lalla Rookh" earned him an unprecedented payment of 3,000 pounds from the publisher without even reading the manuscript.
Biographer and Critic
Moore's extensive prose work includes biographies of Richard Sheridan (1825), Edward Fitzgerald (1831), and his masterpiece, "The Letters and Journals of Lord Byron" (1830). Moore's friendship with Byron was so close that Byron entrusted him with the manuscript of his memoirs. After Byron's death, Moore chose to burn the manuscript, sparking controversy that continues to this day.
Bermuda and Financial Troubles
In 1803, Moore sailed to Bermuda as registrar of an Admiralty court. He returned to England, leaving a deputy in his place. However, the deputy embezzled 6,000 pounds, and Moore, who was responsible for the debt, was forced to live in Europe from 1819-1822 to avoid arrest.
Personal Life and Legacy
In 1811, Moore married Irish actress Elizabeth Dyke. While their marriage was happy, they tragically lost all their children. Moore died on February 25, 1852, at Sloperton Cottage near Bowood, Wiltshire.
Thomas Moore's literary and political contributions left a lasting mark on both Ireland and English literature. His "Irish Melodies" continue to evoke the indomitable spirit of his祖国, and his biographies reveal the complex lives of some of the most influential figures of his time.
