Izaak Walton Summary

Izaak Walton League In 1922, 54 sportsmen and sportswomen—all concerned with the apparent destruction of American fishing waterways—established the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA... Read more

Biography EssayFew authors, as George Saintsbury has observed, have acquired fame through such different volumes as Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler and his collected Lives of Dr. John Donne, Sir ... Read more

George Saintsbury once observed that few authors have acquired fame through such different volumes as Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler (1653) and The Lives of Dr. John Donne, Sir Henry Wotton, Mr. R... Read more

Poem by William Wordsworth Wordsworth, William. “Written Upon a Blank Leaf in ‘The Complete Angler.’” In Wordsworth: Poetical Works, edited by Thomas Hutchinson, p. 202. O... Read more

In the essay below, Granqvist traces the way in which 19th-century intellectual trends shaped the interpretation of Walton and his writings. Biography in the early nineteenth century was a thriving... Read more

In the following excerpt, Epstein analyzes the structure of Walton's Life of Donne, pointing out the author's unique contributions to the biography genre. “Being speechless, an... Read more

In the essay below, Marshall analyzes Walton's use of time in his biographies by which he heightens the apparent piousness of his subjects. It is clear from the prefaces to a number of his l... Read more

In the excerpt below, Stanwood offers an overview of critical scholarship on Walton since 1640 and discusses the reasons for enduring critical interest in Walton's works. Except for the peri... Read more

In the essay which follows, Marston relates his affection for Walton's Compleat Angler and considers its importance among texts about fishing. Have you read The Compleat Angler? If you have,... Read more

In the following excerpt, Bottrall offers an overview of Walton s work, praising him as a writer with continual appeal. I The mention of Izaak Walton's name immediately suggests The Compleat... Read more

In the following excerpt, Novarr develops the thesis that due to timing and subject matter, Walton was free to express his beliefs on religion to their fullest in The Life of Herbert. The Life of H... Read more

In the essay below, Lein posits that The Life of Mr. George Herbert represents the pinnacle of Walton's biographical writing, building upon his earlier foundation and adding unique elements of ... Read more