English Funerary Elegy in the Seventeenth Century: Laws in Mourning (Early Modern Literature in History)

Examining the funerary elegy in the context of early modern funerary ritual, this book also analyzes the political, aesthetic, moral, and religious developments in the period 1606-1660 and discusses the works of Donne, Jonson, Milton and Early Modern women's writing. Brady discusses both death and the body, combining literary theory, social and cultural history, psychology and anthropology to produce exciting and original readings of neglected source material. The funerary elegy was one of the most common and distinguished poetic genres of the early modern period. Governed by convention, elegies also provided an occasion for poets - from famous laureates to private individuals - to negotiate with the laws of mourning, religious and social expectation, and political constraints. This book situates elegy's conventions with the rituals of rhetoric and mourning. Drawing on anthropology to analyze transitional rites, charisma, and the performance of grief, it offers new readings of famous poems, as well as little-known texts published in manuscript and popular print. It recontextualizes elegies commemorating heraldic funerals and public executions, to reveal how poets asserted their independence and unique status by manipulating the rituals designed to affirm consensus and the power of the state. Examining three famous executions of the 1640s, critical elegies for other poets, and poems mourning the death of children, Brady reveals the radical potentiality of the elegiac genre. This book provides new context for canonical elegies by Ben Jonson, John Donne, Henry King and John Milton among others, and introduces a provocative set of questions about the relationship between private experience and public morality, the body and creativity, and death and writing This Book Situates Elegy's Conventions Within The Rituals Of Rhetoric And Mourning. Drawing On Anthropology To Analyse Transitional Rites, Charismatic Dying And The Performance Of Grief, It Offers New Readings Of Famous Poems, As Well As Little-known Texts Published In Manuscript And Popular Print. It Recontextualizes Elegies Commemorating Heraldic Funerals And Public Executions, To Reveal How Poets Asserted Their Independence And Unique Status By Manipulating The Rituals Designed To Affirm Consensus And The Power Of The State. Examining Three Famous Executions Of The 1640s, Critical Elegies For Other Poets, And Poems Mourning The Death Of Children, Andrea Brady Reveals The Radical Potentiality Of The Elegiac Genre. This Book Provides New Contexts For Canonical Elegies By Ben Jonson, John Donne, Henry King And John Milton, Among Others, And Introduces A Set Of Questions About The Relationship Between Private Experience And Public Morality, The Body And Creativity, And Death And Writing.--jacket. The Ritual Of Rhetoric -- The Rhetoric Of Grief -- The Funerary Ritual -- The Ritualised Execution -- The Critical Elegy -- The 'private' Elegy. Andrea Brady. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 242-261) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 List of Abbreviations......Page 10 Note on Transcriptions......Page 11 Introduction......Page 12 1 The Ritual of Elegiac Rhetoric......Page 21 2 The Rhetoric of Grief......Page 43 3 The Funerary Elegy in Its Ritual Context......Page 73 4 Spectacular Executions of the 1640s......Page 101 5 Contesting Wills in Critical Elegy......Page 142 6 Grief Without Measure......Page 185 Conclusion......Page 218 Notes......Page 225 Bibliography......Page 253 C......Page 273 H......Page 274 P......Page 275 W......Page 276 This book analyzes the political, aesthetic, moral and religious developments in the period 1606-1660 and discusses the works of Donne, Jonson, Milton and early modern women's writing. Brady combines Literary Theory, social and cultural History, Psychology and Anthropology to produce exciting and original readings of neglected source material. Examining the funerary elegy in the context of early modern funerary ritual, this book analyzes the political, aesthetic, moral and religious developments in the period 1606-1660. It also discusses the works of Donne, Jonson, Milton and early modern women's writing