The Interpersonal Idiom in Shakespeare, Donne, and Early Modern Culture

Sixteenth-century English speakers understood identity in radically different terms than ours. __The Interpersonal Idiom__ explores the ways early modern usage figures selves as a function of other selves, particularly in the tropes of humoralism, visual perception, and sexual constancy. Challenging the current critical preoccupation with subjectivity, Selleck argues that Shakespeare, Donne, and other early modern writers often emphatically resist emerging conventions of subjective authority and cast selfhood instead as the experience of others. Analyzing a diverse range of texts — from treatises on medicine, faculty psychology, and the controversy over women to drama, poetry, and devotional literature — Selleck’s study proposes a new theoretical understanding of identity in early modern culture. Sixteenth-century English Speakers Understood Identity In Radically Different Terms Than Ours. The Interpersonal Idiom Explores The Ways Early Modern Usage Figures Selves As A Function Of Other Selves, Particularly In The Tropes Of Humoralism, Visual Perception, And Sexual Constancy. Challenging The Current Critical Preoccupation With Subjectivity, Selleck Argues That Shakespeare, Donne, And Other Early Modern Writers Often Emphatically Resist Emerging Conventions Of Subjective Authority And Cast Selfhood Instead As The Experience Of Others. Analyzing A Diverse Range Of Texts -- From Treatises On Medicine, Faculty Psychology, And The Controversy Over Women To Drama, Poetry, And Devotional Literature -- Selleck's Study Proposes A New Theoretical Understanding Of Identity In Early Modern Culture. Introduction : Other Selves -- Properties Of A 'self' : Words And Things, 1580-1690 -- Persons In Play : Donne's Body And The Humoral Actor -- Material Others : Shakespeare's Mirrors And Other Perspectives -- 'womans Constancy' : The Poetics Of Consummation -- Epilogue : Subjects, Objects, And Contemporary Theory. Nancy Selleck. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 168-207) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction: Other Selves....Pages 1-20 Properties of a ‘Self’: Words and Things, 1580–1690....Pages 21-55 Persons in Play: Donne’s Body and the Humoral Actor....Pages 56-88 Material Others: Shakespeare’s Mirrors and Other Perspectives....Pages 89-122 ‘Womans Constancy’: The Poetics of Consummation....Pages 123-161 Epilogue: Subjects, Objects, and Contemporary Theory....Pages 162-167 Back Matter....Pages 168-214 The Interpersonal Idiom offers a timely reformulation of identity in the age of Shakespeare, recovering a rich and now obsolete language that casts selfhood not as subjective experience but as the experience of others. This work offers a reformulation of identity in the time of Shakespeare, recovering a rich and now obsolete language that casts selfhood not as subjective experience, but as the experience of others.