God's spies : Michelangelo, Shakespeare, and other poets of vision

Written with both passion and precision, God's Spies is a work that will be welcomed by anyone interested in the vital interplay between poetry and religion. The poets represented, including poets such as Michelangelo, St Francis of Assisi, Charles Peguy, Dante and Shakespeare, all possess one great and surprising quality in common: audacity. All of them in their work offer fresh and unforeseen perspectives on life and literature.Some of these authors are religious in the strict meaning of the word, their work indicating a devout turning away from the distractions of the world to focus on God. Others, in contrast, are poets whose work is distinguished by a remarkable visionary focus on the many small and great dramas of life, attending with bright, imaginative genius to what Shakespeare calls "the mystery of things". Written with both passion and precision, God's Spies is a work that will be welcomed by anyone interested in the vital interplay between poetry and religion. The authors represented, including poets such as Michelangelo, St Francis of Assisi, Charles Péguy, Dante and Shakespeare, all possess one great and surprising quality in common: audacity. All of them in their work offer fresh and unforeseen perspectives on life and literature. Some of these authors are religious in the strict meaning of the word, their work indicating a devout turbaning away from the distractions of the world to focus on God. Others, in contrast, are poets whose work is distinguished by a remarkable visionary focus on the many small and great dramas of life, attending with bright, imaginative genius to what Shakespeare calls 'the mystery of things'. -- ‡c From publisher's description "Written with both passion and precision, God's Spies is a work that will be welcomed by anyone interested in the vital interplay between poetry and religion. The authors represented, including poets such as Michelangelo, St Francis of Assisi, Charles Péguy, Dante and Shakespeare, all possess one great and surprising quality in common: audacity. All of them in their work offer fresh and unforeseen perspectives on life and literature. Some of these authors are religious in the strict meaning of the word, their work indicating a devout turning away from the distractions of the world to focus on God. Others, in contrast, are poets whose work is distinguished by a remarkable visionary focus on the many small and great dramas of life, attending with bright, imaginative genius to what Shakespeare calls 'the mystery of things'."--Bloomsbury publishing. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Untitled Dedication Contents Acknowledgements INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 PARADISE ON EARTH: EARLY IRISH NATURE POETRY AND THE CANTICLE OF FRANCIS OF ASSISI Chapter 2 ‘I AM MYSELF ALONE’: SHAKESPEARE AND THE HUMAN CASUALTY Chapter 3 A MAN TALKING: THE PRAYER AND POETRY OF CHARLES PÉGUY Chapter 4 ‘BEAUTY, MY ENEMY’: PASSION AND PIETY AT WAR IN THE POETRY OF MICHELANGELO Chapter 5 APOCALYPTIC VISIONS: THE POETRY OF NATURE AND THE CROSS Chapter 6 GOD’S SPY: SHAKESPEARE AND RELIGIOUS VISION Chapter 7 AT THE THRESHOLD OF WONDER: POETRY AND RELIGION: FRIENDS OR FOES? FINALLY COMES THE POET: AN AFTERWORD Index