The Cambridge Companion to John Donne (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

Sixteen new essays, written by an international array of leading scholars and critics, cover Donne's poetry (erotic, satirical, devotional) and his prose (including his Sermons and occasional letters). Providing studies of his text as well as setting them in the historical and cultural context of early modern England, this Companion's up-to-date scholarship introduces students to current issues of debate, and gives them a means to better understand and appreciate John Donne's literary achievements. The Cambridge Companion To John Donne - The First Comprehensive Guide To His Works To Be Published - Introduces Students (undergraduate And Graduate) To The Range, Brilliance And Complexity Of John Donne. Sixteen New Essays, Written By An International Array Of Leading Scholars And Critics, Cover Donne's Poetry (erotic, Satirical, Devotional) And His Prose (including His Sermons And Occasional Letters). Providing Readings Of His Texts And Also Fully Situating Them In The Historical And Cultural Context Of Early Modern England, These Essays Offer The Most Up-to-date Scholarship And Introduce Students To The Current Thinking And Debates About Donne, While Providing Tools For Students To Read His Work With Greater Understanding And Enjoyment. Special Features Include A Chronology; A Short Biography; Chapters On Political And Religious Contexts; A Chapter On The Experience Of Reading His Lyrics; A Meditation On Donne By The Contemporary Novelist A.s. Byatt; And An Extensive Bibliography Of Editions And Criticism. Donne's Life: A Sketch / Jonathan F.s. Post -- Text Of Donne's Writings / Ted-larry Pebworth -- Social Context And Nature Of Donne's Writings: Occasional Verse And Letters / Arthur F. Marotti -- Literary Contexts: Predecessors And Contemporaries / Andrew Hadfield -- Donne's Religious World / Alison Shell And Arnold Hunt -- Donne's Political World / Tom Cain -- Reading And Rereading Donne's Poetry / Judith Scherer Herz -- Satirical Writing: Donne In Shadows / Annabel Patterson -- Erotic Poetry / Achsah Guibbory -- Devotional Writing / Helen Wilcox -- Donne As Preacher / Peter Mccullough -- Donne's Language: The Conditions Of Communication / Lynne Magnusson -- Gender Matters: The Women In Donne's Poems / Ilona Bell -- Facing Death / Ramie Targoff -- Donne's Afterlife / Dayton Haskin -- Feeling Thought: Donne And The Embodied Mind / A.s. Byatt. Edited By Achsah Guibbory. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 259-277) And Index. Cover......Page 1 The Cambridge Companion to John Donne......Page 2 Contents......Page 5 List of illustrations......Page 8 List of contributors......Page 9 Preface......Page 10 List of abbreviations......Page 13 Chronology......Page 15 1 Donne’s life: a sketch......Page 20 2 The text of Donne’s writings......Page 42 3 The social context and nature of Donne’s writing: occasional verse and letters......Page 54 4 Literary contexts: predecessors and contemporaries......Page 68 5 Donne’s religious world......Page 84 6 Donne’s political world......Page 102 7 Reading and rereading Donne’s poetry......Page 120 8 Satirical writing: Donne in shadows......Page 136 9 Erotic poetry......Page 152 10 Devotional writing......Page 168 11 Donne as preacher......Page 186 12 Donne’s language: the conditions of communication......Page 202 13 Gender matters: the women in Donne’s poems......Page 220 14 Facing death......Page 236 15 Donne’s afterlife......Page 252 16 Feeling thought: Donne and the embodied mind......Page 266 Select bibliography......Page 278 The Cambridge Companion to John Donne - the first comprehensive guide to his works to be published - introduces students (undergraduate and graduate) to the range, brilliance and complexity of John Donne. Sixteen new essays, written by an international array of leading scholars and critics, cover Donne's poetry (erotic, satirical, devotional) and his prose (including his sermons and occasional letters). Providing readings of his texts and also fully situating them in the historical and cultural context of early modern England, these essays offer the most up-to-date scholarship and introduce students to the current thinking and debates about Donne, while providing tools for students to read his work with greater understanding and enjoyment. Special features include a chronology; a short biography; chapters on political and religious contexts; a chapter on the experience of reading his lyrics; a meditation on Donne by the contemporary novelist A. S. Byatt; and an extensive bibliography of editions and criticism.