Eighteenth-Century Poetry and the Rise of the Novel Reconsidered
Examining the interplay of genres in literary history
Kate Parker editor Courtney Weiss Smith editor
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bucknell University Press
Published:28th Aug '15
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between poetry and novels in the eighteenth century, revealing their interconnectedness and cultural significance.
In Eighteenth-Century Poetry and the Rise of the Novel Reconsidered, a diverse group of esteemed and emerging scholars come together to explore the intricate relationship between poetry and novels during the pivotal period from Andrew Marvell’s 'Upon Appleton House' to Amelia Opie’s Romantic-era works. This collection of essays highlights the coexistence of poetry and novels in the bustling bookstalls of eighteenth-century England, emphasizing the vibrant literary landscape of the time.
The essays delve into the unexpected interactions between poetry and novels, revealing how these two forms of literature influenced one another. By examining these connections, Eighteenth-Century Poetry and the Rise of the Novel Reconsidered challenges traditional narratives and offers fresh perspectives on the cultural and literary history of the era. The contributors provide a nuanced understanding of how novels often incorporated poetic elements, blurring the lines between genres and enriching the reading experience.
This volume features contributions from notable scholars such as Margaret Doody, David Fairer, and Sophie Gee, among others. Each essay contributes to a larger conversation about the significance of poetry within the context of the rising novel, suggesting that the literary world of the eighteenth century was far more interconnected than previously acknowledged. Readers will find themselves engaged in a thoughtful reconsideration of the literary dynamics that shaped this transformative period.
There is no shortage of scholarship on 18th-century fiction, and criticism of 18th-century verse is not far behind. For the most part, though, these are separate fields of study, and until now only G. Gabrielle Starr's Lyric Generations: Poetry and the Novel in the Long Eighteenth Century had taken their interaction seriously. Now two junior scholars, Parker and Smith, have brought together an international team of scholars to explore the relationships between the novel and poetry in 18th-century Britain. The contributors range from graduate students to the biggest names in the field, but all have produced learned, incisive, and original investigations into the points of contact between genres. The nine essays (and a chapter-length coda) range from close readings of individual works (Rape of the Lock, Night Thoughts, Pamela, Tristram Shandy) to ambitious attempts to rethink literary history itself. The contributors share no single 'program,' and they often disagree over both methods and conclusions. But they share a commitment to changing the traditional stories of the development of fiction and poetry. This major collection from Bucknell, a leader in 18th-century studies, is required reading for scholars. Summing Up: Essential. Graduate students, researchers, faculty. * CHOICE *
Eighteenth-Century Poetry and the Rise of the Novel Reconsidered is a provocative and timely collection well worth the attention of the reader who wishes, as Smith states in her introductory remarks, to ‘grapple with unexpected collisions and collusions between poetry and novels’. . . .[The book] counts among the year’s best books in eighteenth-century studies. * Intelligencer *
ISBN: 9781611487022
Dimensions: 229mm x 155mm x 21mm
Weight: 445g
280 pages