The Oxford History of Classical Reception in English Literature, Volume I. 800-1558

The Oxford History of Classical Reception (OHCREL) is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have stimulated responses and refashioning by English writers. Covering the full range of English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day, OHCREL both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents cutting-edge new research, employing an international team of expert contributors for each of the five volumes. OHCREL endeavours to interrogate, rather than inertly reiterate, conventional assumptions about literary 'periods', the processes of canon-formation, and the relations between literary and non-literary discourse. It conceives of 'reception' as a complex process of dialogic exchange and, rather than offering large cultural generalizations, it engages in close critical analysis of literary texts. It explores in detail the ways in which English writers' engagement with classical literature casts as much light on the classical originals as it does on the English writers' own cultural context. This second volume, and third to appear in the series, covers the years 1558-1660, and explores the reception of the ancient genres and authors in English Renaissance literature, engaging with the major, and many of the minor, writers of the period, including Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser, and Jonson. Separate chapters examine the Renaissance institutions and contexts which shape the reception of antiquity, and an annotated bibliography provides substantial material for further reading. The Oxford History of Classical Reception in English Literature (OHCREL) is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have stimulated responses and refashioning by English writers. Covering the full range of English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day, OHCREL both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents cutting-edge new research, employing an international team of expert contributors for each of the five volumes. OHCREL endeavours to interrogate, rather than inertly reiterate, conventional assumptions about literary'periods', the processes of canon-formation, and the relations between literary and non-literary discourse. It conceives of'reception'as a complex process of dialogic exchange and, rather than offering large cultural generalizations, it engages in close critical analysis of literary texts. It explores in detail the ways in which English writers'engagement with classical literature casts as much light on the classical originals as it does on the English writers'own cultural context. This first volume, and fourth to appear in the series, covers the years c.800-1558, and surveys the reception and transformation of classical literary culture in England from the Anglo-Saxon period up to the Henrician era. Chapters on the classics in the medieval curriculum, the trivium and quadrivium, medieval libraries, and medieval mythography provide context for medieval reception. The reception of specific classical authors and traditions is represented in chapters on Virgil, Ovid, Lucan, Statius, the matter of Troy, Boethius, moral philosophy, historiography, biblical epics, English learning in the twelfth century, and the role of antiquity in medieval alliterative poetry. The medieval section includes coverage of Chaucer, Gower, and Lydgate, while the part of the volume dedicated to the later period explores early English humanism, humanist education, and libraries in the Henrician era, and includes chapters that focus on the classicism of Skelton, Douglas, Wyatt, and Surrey. Content: V. 1. 800-1558 / edited by Rita Copeland. Volume 2. 1558-1660 / edited by Patrick Cheney and Philip Hardie -- 1. Introduction / Patrick Cheney and Philip Hardie -- Part I: Institutions and contexts -- 2. The classics in humanism, education, and scholarship / Peter Mack -- 3. The availability of the classics: readers, writers, translation, performance / Stuart Gillespie -- 4. Classical rhetoric in English / Peter Mack -- 5. The classics in literary criticism / Gavin Alexander -- 6. Classicism and Christianity / Mark Vessey -- 7. Women writers and the classics / Jane Stevenson -- 8. Cultural contexts -- a. Politics and nationalism / Curtis Perry -- b. Sexuality and desire / Cora Fox -- c. Literary careers / Patrick Cheney -- d. Fame and immortality / Philip Hardie -- Part II: Genre -- 9. Pastoral and Georgic / Helen Cooper -- 10. Epic poetry / Philip Hardie -- 11. Elizabethan minor epic / Lynn Enterline -- 12. The epistolary tradition / William Fitzgerald -- 13. Prose romance / Helen Moore -- 14. Elegy, hymn, epithalamium, ode: some Renaissance reinterpretations / Roland Greene -- 15. Complaint, epigram, and satire / Susanna Braund -- 16. Tragedy / Gordone Braden -- 17. Comedy / Bruce Smith -- 18. Tragicomedy / Tanya Pollard -- 19. Historiography and biography / Bart Van Es -- 20. Discursive and speculative writing / Reid Barbour and Claire Preston -- Part III: Authors -- 21. Homer / Jessica Wolfe -- 22. Plato / Elizabeth Jane Bellamy -- 23. Virgil and Ovid / Maggie Kilgour -- 24. Horace / Victoria Moul (with a contribution by Charles Martindale) -- 25. Spenser / Richard A. McCabe -- 26. Marlowe / Charles Martindale -- 27. Shakespeare / Colin Burrow -- 28. Jonson / Sean Keilen -- 29. Early Milton / Thomas Luxon -- Classical reception in English literature, 1558-1660: an annotated bibliography / Craig Kallendorf. V. 3. 1660-1790 / edited by David Hopkins and Charles Martindale. The Oxford History of Classical Reception (OHCREL) is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have stimulated responses and refashioning by English writers. Covering the full range of English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day, OHCREL both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents cutting-edge new research, employing an international team of expert contributors for each of the five volumes. OHCREL endeavours to interrogate, rather than inertly reiterate, conventional assumptions about literary 'periods', the processes of canon-formation, and the relations between literary and non-literary discourse. It conceives of 'reception' as a complex process of dialogic exchange and, rather than offering large cultural generalizations, it engages in close critical analysis of literary texts. It explores in detail the ways in which English writers' engagement with classical literature casts as much light on the classical originals as it does on the English writers' own cultural context. This fourth volume, and second to appear in the series, covers the years 1790-1880 and explores romantic and Victorian receptions of the classics. Noting the changing fortunes of particular classical authors and the influence of developments in archaeology, aesthetics and education, it traces the interplay between classical and nineteenth-century perceptions of gender, class, religion, and the politics of republic and empire in chapters engaging with many of the major writers of this period. The Oxford History of Classical Reception (OHCREL), of which the present volume is the first to appear, is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have been responded to and refashioned by English writers. Covering the full range of English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day, OHCREL both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents cutting-edge new research, employing an international team of expert contributors for each of the volumes. OHCREL endeavours to interrogate, rather than inertly reiterate, conventional assumptions about literary 'periods', the processes of canon-formation, and the relations between literary and non-literary discourse. It conceives of 'reception' as a complex process of dialogic exchange and, rather than offering large cultural generalizations, it engages in close critical analysis of literary texts. It explores in detail the ways in which English writers' engagement with classical literature casts as much light on the classical originals as it does on the English writers' own cultural context. When completed, this 5-volume history will be one of the largest, and potentially most important projects, in the field of classical reception ever undertaken. This third volume covers the years 1660-1790. The Oxford history of classical receptio'n in English Literature (OHCREL) is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have stimulated responses and refashioning by English writers. Covering the full range of English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day, OHCREL both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents cutting-edge new research, employing an international team of expert contributors for each of the five volumes. 00OHCREL endeavours to interrogate, rather than inertly reiterate, conventional assumptions about literary 'periods', the processes of canon-formation, and the relations between literary and non-literary discourse. It conceives of 'reception' as a complex process of dialogic exchange and, rather than offering large cultural generalizations, it engages in close critical analysis of literary texts. It explores in detail the ways in which English writers' engagement with classical literature casts as much light on the classical originals as it does on the English writers' own cultural context. 00This first volume, and fourth to appear in the series, covers the years c.800-1558, and surveys the reception and transformation of classical literary culture in England from the Anglo-Saxon period up to the Henrician era "The Oxford History of Classical Reception (OHCREL) is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have stimulated responses and refashioning by English writers. Covering the full range of English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day, OHCREL both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents cutting-edge new research, employing an international team of expert contributors for each of the five volumes. OHCREL endeavours to interrogate, rather than inertly reiterate, conventional assumptions about literary 'periods', the processes of canon-formation, and the relations between literary and non-literary discourse. It conceives of 'reception' as a complex process of dialogic exchange and, rather than offering large cultural generalizations, it engages in close critical analysis of literary texts. It explores in detail the ways in which English writers' engagement with classical literature casts as much light on the classical originals as it does on the English writers' own cultural context." -- From publisher's website OHCREL offers an investigation of the many diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have been responded to and refashioned by English writers. Covering English literature from the early Middle Ages to the present, it both synthesizes existing scholarship and presents new research. This third volume covers the years 1660-1790. The Oxford History of Classical Reception in English Literature (OHCREL) is designed to offer a comprehensive investigation of the numerous and diverse ways in which literary texts of the classical world have stimulated responses and refashioning by English writers. This fifth and final volume in the series covers the years from 1880 onwards. V. 1. 800-1558 -- V. 2. 1558-1660 / Edited By Patrick Cheney And Philip Hardie -- V. 3. 1660-1790 / Edited By David Hopkins And Charles Martindale -- V. 4. 1790-1880 /edited By Norman Vance And Jennifer Wallace. To Be Complete In 5 Volumes, With Volume 3 Appearing First. Include Bibliographical References And Indexes.