John Todhunter

author

John Todhunter

1839–1916

An Irish poet, playwright, and physician, he moved easily between medicine and literature, publishing multiple poetry collections and writing plays linked to the Irish Literary Revival. His life also included years in Dublin, London, and Bedford Park’s artistic circle.

1 Audiobook

Shelley and the Marriage Question

Shelley and the Marriage Question

by John Todhunter

About the author

Born on 30 December 1839 in Dublin, John Todhunter studied at Trinity College Dublin and later continued his medical training in Dublin, London, and Paris. Although he qualified as a doctor, he became better known for his literary work, building a reputation as both a poet and a dramatist.

Todhunter published several volumes of poetry and went on to write plays as well, including work associated with the cultural energy of the Irish Literary Revival. He was connected with W. B. Yeats and other literary figures of the period, and his writing ranged from lyrical verse to stage drama.

He died on 25 October 1916. Remembered today as a versatile Victorian-era Irish man of letters, he stands out for combining a medical career with a sustained contribution to poetry and theatre.