Poetical Works of Robert Bridges, Volume 6

The sixth volume of Robert Bridges' poetic works opens with "The Feast of Bacchus," a daring comedic experiment that channels ancient Greek theater while addressing timeless domestic anxieties. Set in a suburban Athenian garden, the play follows Menedemus, a wealthy farmer who inexplicably toils in his own soil while his servants watch and his neighbor Chremes looks on in bewilderment. The surface comedy of a rich man behaving like a peasant gives way to something far richer: the reveal that Menedemus buries himself in labor to escape the pain of his estranged son Clinia, who has fled to Persia after a family rupture. Bridges, who would become Poet Laureate of England, demonstrates his mastery of classical form while infusing the ancient tradition with genuine modern psychological depth. The dialogue crackles with the wit of Terence and Plautus, yet carries the emotional weight of a father grappling with the silence between himself and his child. This is poetry that uses comedy to plumb the seriousness of familial love, misunderstanding, and the burdens parents carry.