Author Description
Few readers today are aware of the vigorous prose experiments undertaken in the seventeenth century. This anthology presents a representative selection of that work, with examples from Aphra Benn, John Bunyan, William Congreve, Percy Herbert, and Thomas Dangerfield. Also included are Mary Wroth's feminist romance Urania and Margaret Cavendish's female utopia The Blazing World, in print here for the first time since their original publication.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This anthology investigates the evolution and experimental nature of seventeenth-century English prose fiction. Paul Salzman, a scholar of early modern literature, curates this collection to demonstrate the breadth of narrative innovation during a period often overshadowed by the rise of the eighteenth-century novel. By presenting a diverse range of authors and styles, the text argues that seventeenth-century prose was a period of significant formal experimentation and thematic development.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- A curated selection of seventeenth-century prose works
- Rare texts including excerpts from Mary Wroth and Margaret Cavendish
- Historical context regarding the development of early modern narrative forms
Scope Limits
- The collection does not provide an exhaustive history of all seventeenth-century literature
- It focuses primarily on prose fiction rather than poetry or drama
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students of early modern literature frequently cite this collection as a vital resource for accessing texts that were previously difficult to locate. Experts highlight the inclusion of feminist and utopian works as a significant contribution to the study of the period's literary landscape.
Page Count:
600
Publication Date:
1991-09-05
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192826190
ISBN-13:
9780192826190
Classic Literature
British literature
Literary Criticism
Prose
Anthology
Seventeenth Century