T.S. Eliot and early modern literature. Dead voices speak through the living voice

This title, for the first time, considers the full imaginative and moral engagement of one of the most influential poets of the twentieth century, T.S. Eliot, with the Early Modern period of literature in English (1580-1630). This engagement haunted Eliot's poetry and critical writing across his career, and would have a profound impact on subsequent poetry across the world, as well as upon academic literary criticism, and wider cultural perceptions. To this end, the book elucidates and contextualizes several facets of Eliot's thinking and its impact: through establishment of his original and eclectic understanding of the Early Modern period in relation to the literary and critical source materials available to him; through consideration of uncollected and archival materials, which suggest a need to reassess established readings of the poet's career; and through attention to Eliot's resonant formulations about the period in consequent literary, critical and artistic arenas. Read more... Abstract: T.S. Eliot and Early Modern Literature provides a comprehensive discussion of the engagement of Eliot with that earlier English literary period which he declared to be his favourite. It offers a full sense of the critical and literary context against which Eliot measured his own ideas on Early Modern poets and playwrights. Read more... T.s. Eliot And Early Modern Literature, For The First Time, Considers The Full Imaginative And Moral Engagement Of One Of The Most Influential Poets Of The Twentieth Century, T.s. Eliot, With The Early Modern Period Of Literature In English (1580-1630). This Engagement Haunted Eliot's Poetry And Critical Writing Across His Career, And Would Have A Profound Impact On Subsequent Poetry Across The World, As Well As Upon Academic Literary Criticism, And Wider Cultural Perceptions. To This End, The Book Elucidates And Contextualizes Several Facets Of Eliot's Thinking And Its Impact: Through Establishment Of His Original And Eclectic Understanding Of The Early Modern Period In Relation To The Literary And Critical Source Materials Available To Him; Through Consideration Of Uncollected And Archival Materials, Which Suggest A Need To Reassess Established Readings Of The Poet's Career; And Through Attention To Eliot's Resonant Formulations About The Period In Consequent Literary, Critical And Artistic Arenas. To The End Of His Life, Eliot Had To Fend Off The Presumption That He Had, In Some Way, 'invented' The Early Modern Period For The Modern Age. Yet The Presumption Holds Some Force - It Is Famously And Influentially An Implication Running Through Eliot's Essays On That Earlier Period, And Through His Many References To Its Writings In His Poetry, That The Early Modern Period Formed The Most Exact Historical Analogy For The Apocalyptic Events (and Consequent Social, Cultural And Literary Turmoil) Of The First Half Of The Twentieth-century. T.s. Eliot And Early Modern Literature Gives A Comprehensive Sense Of The Vital Engagement Of This Self-consciously Modern Poet With The Earlier Period He Always Declared To Be His Favourite.--publisher's Website. 'without A Harmonising Medium': Eliot In 1919, And Contemporary Criticism Of Early Modern Drama -- 'i Am Not All Heere': Donne, Marlowe, 'disintegration', And The Development Of Dramatic Lyricism By Eliot -- 'signs Never Come Amiss': Early Modern Voices In Eliot's Collected Poetry To Poems, 1920 -- 'ideas, And The Sensibility Of Thought': The Quest For A Metaphysical Poetry 1920-22 -- Cryptograms: The Waste Land, Sweeney Agonistes, And 'the Hollow Men' -- 'the Pattern Behind The Pattern': Ash-wednesday, The Ariel Poems, And 'coriolan' -- Towards A New Dramatic Articulation: The Rock And Murder In The Cathedral -- 'a Fusion, In Sympathy Of Antipathy': Four Quartets And The Late Plays. Steven Matthews. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [209]-218) And Index. Content: ""Cover"" ""Contents"" ""Note to the Reader"" ""Abbreviations Used in References to Works by Eliot"" ""Introduction"" ""Eliot�s education in the Early Modern"" ""The �Renaissance� in criticism, Pater, and the �historical sense�"" ""Eliot Studies, allusiveness, and a different methodology"" ""The structure of this book"" ""1. �Without a Harmonising Medium�: Eliot in 1919, and Contemporary Criticism of Early Modern Drama"" ""1919: The Extension Lectures on �Elizabethan Literature�"" ""Source materials"" ""Early Modern Literature and the nation"" ""The nature of Early Modern drama""""Rhetoric and realism in drama"" ""2. �I Am Not All Heere�: Donne, Marlowe, �Disintegration�, and the Development of Dramatic Lyricism by Eliot"" ""Donne, personality, and impersonality"" ""Donne and the emergent poetry of modernity"" ""Drama and the lyric"" ""Allusion and �disintegration�"" ""3. �Signs Never Come Amiss�: Early Modern Voices in Eliot�s Collected Poetry to Poems, 1920"" ""Early Modern echoes in Eliot�s Harvard poems"" ""The quatrain poems"" ""�Gerontion�"" ""4. �Ideas, and the Sensibility of Thought�: The Quest for a Metaphysical Poetry, 1920�2""""Dead voices and new combinations"" ""�Wit�: a metaphysical method"" ""Metaphysical conceits and poetic �obscurity�"" ""5. Cryptograms: The Waste Land, Sweeney Agonistes, and �The Hollow Men�"" ""�The Death of the Duchess� and The Waste Land"" ""The Waste Land and �Elegy�"" ""Aftermaths of The Waste Land"" ""Sweeney Agonistes and �The Hollow Men�"" ""6. �The Pattern Behind the Pattern�: Ash-Wednesday, the Ariel Poem, and �Coriolan�"" ""The Varieties of Metaphysical Poetry""""Conceits, stoicism, and George Chapman"" ""Lancelot Andrewes and Ash-Wednesday"" ""�Marina�"" ""�Coriolan�"" ""7. Towards a New Dramatic Articulation: The Rock and Murder in the Cathedral"" ""The Early Modern and textual �pattern�"" ""The Rock"" ""Early Modern stagecraft, characterization, and Eliot�s dramas"" ""Murder in the Cathedral"" ""8. �A Fusion, in Sympathy or Antipathy�: Four Quartets and the Late Plays"" ""The Family Reunion through its drafts"" ""Four Quartets"" ""The Cocktail Party"" ""The Confidential Clerk and The Elder Statesman""""Bibliography"" ""Index"" ""A"" ""B"" ""C"" ""D"" ""E"" ""F"" ""G"" ""H"" ""J"" ""K"" ""L"" ""M"" ""N"" ""O"" ""P"" ""R"" ""S"" ""T"" ""V"" ""W"" ""Y""