Interviewed by Helen Howard

What themes do you think the work of these people helps us to understand?

What do we need to know about these poets to make sense of their work?

Was there anything revolutionary or transformative about these people?

Does this work capture or reflect an important moment – if so, what?

Have our opinions of these works changed as our approaches have changed and our scholarship has developed?

How might an expert’s opinion on the poetry differ from a non-expert’s opinion?

What were the biggest changes that characterised the arts of these poets?

What do you find particularly interesting or compelling about Harpur and other colonial poets?

Besides finding out more by reading, are there other activities that you think could help students unpack this subject area?

Why do you think it’s important that we study this kind of subject matter?