Classical and Christian Ideas in English Renaissance Poetry

by Isabel Rivers

Book Overview

Since publication in 1979 Isabel Rivers' sourcebook has established itself as the essential guide to English Renaissance poetry. It:

provides an account of the main classical and Christian ideas, outlining their meaning, their origins and their transmission to the Renaissance; illustrates the ways in which Renaissance poetry drew on classical and Christian ideas; contains extracts from key classical and Christian texts and relates these to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415106478
• ISBN13: 9780415106474
• Release Date: December 1994
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A great introduction or refresher

This is a very useful book for students of literature and history, as well as the casual reader who wants a little help enjoying Shakespeare, Milton, Donne, or any of the other great writers of the English Renaissance. The 13 highly readable chapters on various aspects of English Renaissance poetry are all supplemented by excerpts from poetry and prose (ranging from the Bible, to Aristotle, to Virgil, to John Calvin, to John Milton) and a very helpful "Further Reading" section in the back. Highly recommended.

book reivew

This book is an excellent reference source, not just for poetry, but literature during the 16th and 17th Cent in England. It lays out in very clear and concise prose the religious ideologies during the time shedding light on the poetry, drama, and prose of the time.