Customer Reviews

Lepanto

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A few months after completing his semi-well known epic, "The Ballad of the White Horse", Chesterton undertook putting a different battle into poem; that battle was Lepanto.

Lepanto is an important sea battle that took place between European and Turkish forces in the 1600's. It is often remembered as an `almost' for the West, since if the Turkish forces had won, there was a good chance that Italy would have fallen under their influence as a result. Most likely, the reason why the Europeans won was because they were under the command of Austrian Don John, the illegitimate son of the Holy Roman Emperor, and half brother to the King of Spain. But this is mostly told in the scholarly essays that are included in the book.

But that may the important thing to note: the poem which is this book's namesake....only takes up ten pages. The rest of its 124 pages are taken up by excellent essays by military, literary, and historical scholars. (A warning to Muslims and Protestants: While they are respectful in their stances, they are most certainly pro-Catholic, pro-West in their writing; much like Chesterton was. Don't be surprised if you get bashed a bit, as this Protestant reader was.)While they offer excellent insights into the poem, it's a little disappointing to find out you won't be reading Chesterton's excellent prose for much of the book, save for the poem and two essays of his.

But oh, what poetry it is. When it was released in 1911, Lepanto became a national epic in months. By WWI soldiers were writing him telling of how they would read his poem on the battlefield. Lepanto recounts the glory of Don John in an elegant, flowing manner. Not one of the lines `feels' forced, and the reader will be more than a little disappointed to find that they have read the entire poem in under 5 minutes.

I highly recommend this to lovers of poetry and Chesterton. You really can't go wrong with this one, save if you're a pacifist. (In which case, you probably ought to stay away from Chesterton anyway.)

I got this book expecting it to be an epic poem similar to Chesterton's Ballad of the White Horse. I was very disappointed to find out that it was an 8 page poem with 100+ pages of commentary. I was not as disappointed after reading it. The poem was absolutely amazing. Chesterton used alliteration better in this poem than I have ever seen it used in any other poem anywhere, with lines like: "Dim drums throbbing, in the hills half heard" or "He touches, and it tingles, and he trembles very soon." Chesterton also fills the poem with rich allegory and drama, as he recounts the epic battle of Lepanto between Christendom and the rising Muslim power. This battle, which the essays in this book elaborate on, was one of the most important battles ever fought in histry, as it determined who would dominate Europe: Christians or Muslims. At Lepanto, Christendom, led by Don John of Austria, defeated the Muslims in one of the greatest naval battles ever fought, effectively stopping the advancing Muslims from taking over Europe. Chesterton masterfully recounts this event, and the events leading up to it. He also describes the rulers of Christendom at the time (it was right after the Protestant Reformation) and their refusal to fight (only Don John of Austria took up the Pope's plea to battle the Muslims). A previous reviewer noted that Chesterton bashed Protestants and Muslims: this is true, but he also bashed some Catholic rulers as well, so he is not singling out Protestants. It is true that he is anti-Muslim, and a theme of the poem is the Christianity triumphs over Islam (he depicts well the deterministic fatalism of Islam).

The commentary is helpful as well, providing explanations of many of Chesterton's allegories, as well as explaining some of the obscure terms Chesterton uses. Then there are a few essays about the battle by various authors, which are very interesting, and make Chesterton's poem an even more enjoyable experience if you read it after reading the essays. Finally, two essays by Chesterton are included, both of which are good.

During Chesterton's lifetime, Lepanto was his most famous work. It is amazing that this poem has fallen into obscurity considering the masterful prose. Then again, perhaps it is not so amazing considering its lack of political correctness which today's society is so enamored with.

Overall grade: A+

This book on Chesterton's Lepanto is full of interesting details surrounding the battle. The book is of special interest to Catholics because of its connection to a Marian feast still celebrated on the date of the famous battle and other tidbits. There is also a literary point of interest arising from the fact that Cervantes served with the Christian fleet and was wounded in the battle. The poem highlights a neglected but crucial event in the Western struggle with Islamic expansionism.

Lepanto is one of, if not the, finest poem in the English language. It is ignored in most schools. Yet few who read it are not immediately impressed. Chesterton is never obscure but there are some references which need to be explained. This book does that in 124 pleasant to read pages. If you have enjoyed Blake or similiar writers but struggled through the allusions (as I have) this is the perfect book for you. In less than an hour, you will know more about a great poem than the majority of those who have read it. The price is certainly right and it's a book you'll keep forever (if you don't give it away to friends).

This charming and slender volume from Ignatius contains the classic poem "Lepanto" by G.K. Chesterton and numerous essays on the battle and the poem. The notes included on the poem by Dale Ahlquist and Peter Floriani are excellent. There are also two essays from Chesterton himself, one on the battle and an insightful piece on Don John of Austria and Mary Queen of Scots that will instruct as well as entertain. Brandon Rogers presents a nice overview of the background that led to the battle of Lepanto. Col. Buzz Kriesel offers a handy and concise overview of the course of the battle. William Cinfici looks at the aftermath of the battle--though he loses his course a little and offers us the after-aftermath including the course of the decline of the Ottoman Empire and 9/11. To be blunt, a few more pages would have been helpful since the readers is likely to get whiplash at that pace. Ahlquist also offers a look at the poem. In his essay on poetry, Ahlquist sulks over professors teaching 20th century poets who have no use rhyme or religion. While I appreciate where Ahlquist comes from and am sympathetic to his views, I would point out that Yeats, who had plenty of use for rhyme, and Eliot, who had plenty of use for religion, are probably the two most studied English poets of the 20th century. Ahlqusit has a solid ear for poetry and is able to offer excellent background on Chesterton while bringing the poem itself to greater light.

A minor quibble about a note on the back. We have a quote praising the book from Therese Warmus, the literary editor of "Gilbert" magazine. Somehow the fact that "Gilbert" is run by the American Chesterton Society which has Ahlquist as president is not included. One of the reviews below is from Nancy Brown--who writes for "Gilbert"--a fact that she does not bring up either. This is not a conspiracy by any means--it only makes sense that fans of Chesterton flock to the American Chesterton Society of which I am a proud member. But it is a minor conflict of interest and should have been mentioned. I expect such literary incest from tenured bureaucrats as they praise each others' dissertations dressed up as books. I have a bit higher standards for those who follow the Cross. Again, this is a minor matter to say the least and does not take away from a splendid book.

There are seven reasons to purchase this edition of the epic G.K. Chesterton poem Lepanto.

1. The explanatory notes by Dale Ahlquist and Peter Floriani. These notes help explain the various words Chesterton used. In using this edition with a group of high schoolers, the notes were invaluable to this teacher.

2-5. The four commentary works: The Background, by Brandon Rogers, The Battle, by Melvin Kriesel, The Aftermath, by William Cinfici, and The Poem, by Dale Ahlquist. These short essays give the reader essential information to help understand the battle that took place on that fateful day.

6 and 7. The addition of two of G.K. Chesterton's own essays, one titled The True Romance and the other If Don John of Austria Had Married Mary Queen of Scots, which is hilarious reading.

If you need to read Lepanto for school or a book club gathering, this is definitely the edition to buy.