Walter de la Mare, Nonsense, and Animals

This chapter considers the importance of nonsense in Walter de la Mare’s poetry. It notes the significance of his mid-career collection Stuff and Nonsense (1927), and explores the relationship between nonsense and parody in his authorial reception. It suggests the ethical qualities of his animal poems, which present animals as both foodstuff, captives, and companions, and draws on the work of Nietzsche and Derrida to consider formal innovations in his nonsense poetry. The chapter concludes by arguing for the central role of nonsense in Walter de la Mare’s work.