The poetry of religious sorrow in early modern England
By: Gary Kuchar.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 241
ISBN-13: 9780521896696
Subjects: English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- History and criticism; Christian poetry, English -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- History and criticism; Grief in literature; Theology in literature; Philosophy in literature; Religion in literature; Literature and society -- England -- History -- 16th century; Literature and society -- England -- History -- 17th century; Loss (Psychology) in literature
Description: "In early modern England, religious sorrow was seen as a form of spiritual dialogue between the soul and God, expressing how divine grace operates at the level of human emotion. Through close readings of both Protestant and Catholic poetry, Kuchar explains how the discourses of "devout melancholy" helped generate some of the most engaging religious verse of the period. From Robert Southwell to John Milton, from Aemilia Lanyer to John Donne, the language of "holy mourning" informed how poets represented the most intimate and enigmatic aspects of faith as lived experience. In turn, "holy mourning" served as a way of registering some of the most pressing theological issues of the day. By tracing poetic representations of religious sorrow from Crashaw's devotional verse to Shakespeare's weeping kings, Kuchar expands our understanding of the interconnections between poetry, theology, and emotion in post-Reformation England."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.