The reputation of John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, as a rake has imparted an air of dilettantism to his poetry. By contrast, Rochester: The Poems in Context emphasizes his sharp, restless
intellect, a more powerful driving force in his poems than the sensual appetites stressed by previous critics. Marianne Thorm�瞻hlen uncovers his familiarity with, and sly allusions to, events
and leading characters in Restoration politics; his awareness of trends in science, theology and philosophy; his acute representations of contemporary mores; and his commitment to high
standards in literary craftsmanship. A more complex picture of Rochester emerges: that of a serious artist tackling major issues during a particularly turbulent period in English history.
Alongside its literary analyses, the book offers insights into late seventeenth-century culture: religious discord, the position of women scholars and poets, military matters, statecraft and
foreign affairs under Charles II, and developments in philosophy and science.
