Writing in time : labor and work in English poetry, 1557-1674
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- "Writing in Time: Labor And Work In English Poetry, 1557-1674" proposes a new literary historical and theoretical lens for understanding poetry written in English during the early modern period, based on the temporal situation of writing, or what I term "compositional temporality." I argue that the time and rate of writing form a key aspect of poets' self-conceptions and their view of literary writing as a vocation. I argue that poets represented their own circumstances of composition largely in response to two influencing factors: his or her socioeconomic situation, and self-conceptualized place within the literary tradition. I identify two major self-representational modes in this period: one of dedicated writing exemplified by temporal commitment, and the other a casual image of writing quickly and with ease associated with sprezzatura. This dissertation draws upon authorial self-representations of writing, with the understanding that this evidence is often fictional. I argue that placing such fictions of composition next to each other reveals the values motivating these statements. The Introduction provides a theoretical foundation and linguistic context for analyzing how early modern poets articulated their temporal investment in their writing, and what values these self-representations expressed. Chapter One argues that Elizabethan poets, notably Edmund Spenser, refer to the temporal circumstances of writing as a tool to bolster their economic control over their writing and promote the legitimacy of the poetic profession. Chapter Two posits that Ben Jonson distinguishes between literary "work" and "labor" to promote slow, dedicated writing, and to elevate his role as a poet. Chapter Three argues that John Milton's concern with the temporal circumstances of writing is a fundamental part of his negotiation with his literary forebears.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2015 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Lewis, Rhiannon M |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of English. |
| Primary advisor | Greene, Roland, 1957- |
| Primary advisor | Orgel, Stephen |
| Thesis advisor | Greene, Roland, 1957- |
| Thesis advisor | Orgel, Stephen |
| Thesis advisor | Hoxby, Blair, 1966- |
| Advisor | Hoxby, Blair, 1966- |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Rhiannon M. Lewis. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of English. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2015. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2015 by Rhiannon Marie Lewis
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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