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The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare's Poetry

The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare's Poetry

The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare's Poetry

Patrick Cheney, Pennsylvania State University
January 2007
Available
Paperback
9780521608640

    This Companion provides a full introduction to the poetry of William Shakespeare through discussion of his freestanding narrative poems, the Sonnets, and his plays. Fourteen leading international scholars provide accessible and authoritative chapters on all relevant topics: from Shakespeare's seminal role in the development of English poetry, the wide-ranging practice of his poetic form, and his enigmatic place in print and manuscript culture, to his immersion in English Renaissance politics, religion, classicism, and gender dynamics. With individual chapters on Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, The Passionate Pilgrim, 'The Phoenix and the Turtle', the Sonnets, and A Lover's Complaint, the Companion also includes chapters on the presence of poetry in the dramatic works, on the relation between poetry and performance, and on the reception and influence of the poems. The volume includes a chronology of Shakespeare's life, a note on reference works, and a reading list for each chapter.

    • Provides a comprehensive overview of the presence and topic of poetry in Shakespeare's works, both his poems and his plays
    • Individual chapters are devoted to each of the freestanding poems including Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, the Sonnets and A Lover's Complaint
    • Recommended reading lists are provided at the end of each chapter

    Reviews & endorsements

    'The volume is rounded out with useful reference material , including an introductory chronology and a list of reference works...This volume will appeal to the advanced student who needs greater insight into the poems, but also the mature student will find it refreshing in its willingness to acknowledge the integrity of the poetic works as they fit into Shakespeare's entire oeuvre."
    -A. Robin Bowers, Plymouth State University, Renaissance Quarterly

    '...should provide an important supplementary source for beginning and advanced students."
    -Catherine Gimelli Martin, University of Memphis, Studies in English Literature

    "...this excellent, trustworthy volume recognizes Shakespeare as a pioneer in the development of English poetry...Recommended."
    -J.S. Carducci, Winona State University, Choice

    "...as comprehensive as possible in the coverage of the crucial topics...thorough and brief, but highly informative and critically stimulating essays, by some of the most inspiring scholars in the field."
    South Atlantic Review, Goran Stanivukovic, St. Mary's University

    See more reviews

    Product details

    January 2007
    Paperback
    9780521608640
    318 pages
    229 × 152 × 17 mm
    0.43kg
    1 table
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Chronology
    • Preface
    • Introduction: Shakespeare's poetry in the twenty-first century Patrick Cheney
    • 1. Shakespeare and the development of English poetry William J. Kennedy
    • 2. Rhetoric, style, and poetic form John Roe
    • 3. Print and manuscript Lukas Erne
    • 4. Venus and Adonis Coppélia Kahn
    • 5. The Rape of Lucrece Catherine Belsey
    • 6. The Passionate Pilgrim and 'The Phoenix and Turtle' James P. Bednarz
    • 7. The Sonnets Michael Schoenfeldt
    • 8. A Lover's Complaint Katherine Rowe
    • 9. Poetry, politics, and religion Andrew Hadfield
    • 10. Love, beauty, and sexuality Danielle Clarke
    • 11. Shakespeare and classicism Heather James
    • 12. Poetry in Shakespeare's plays Patrick Cheney
    • 13. Poetry and performance David Schalkwyk
    • 14. Reception and influence Sasha Roberts
    • Reference works on Shakespeare's poetry.
      Contributors
    • William J. Kennedy, John Roe, Lukas Erne, Coppélia Kahn, Catherine Belsey, James P. Bednarz, Michael Schoenfeldt, Katherine Rowe, Andrew Hadfield, Danielle Clarke, Heather James, Patrick Cheney, David Schalkwyk, Sasha Roberts

    • Editor
    • Patrick Cheney , Pennsylvania State University

      Patrick Cheney is Professor in the Department of English at Pennsylvania State University.