Emotion and the Self in English Renaissance Literature - Reforming Contentment

"The first full-length study of early modern contentment, this book examines the intersection of this guiding principle of English Protestant psychology with Renaissance literature, considering works by Shakespeare, Milton, Spenser, and Sidney. It will prove illuminating for researchers of literature, history, religion and affect theory"--

List of contents

Introduction; 1. Constructing contentment in Reformation England; 2. Romancing contentment: sex, suffering, and the passions in Sidney's Arcadias; 3. Fashioning contentment: ethics, emotion, and literary mode in Spenser's poetry; 4. Performing contentment: communal affect and passionate disconnect in Shakespeare's As You Like It and Othello; 5. Losing contentment: Affect, environment, and empire in Milton's Paradise Lost; Conclusion: regaining contentment?

About the author

Paul Joseph Zajac is Associate Professor of English at McDaniel College. His scholarly articles have appeared in English Literary Renaissance, Studies in English Literature, Studies in Philology, and Philological Quarterly, among others.

Summary

The first full-length study of early modern contentment, this book examines the intersection of this guiding principle of English Protestant psychology with Renaissance literature, considering works by Shakespeare, Milton, Spenser and Sidney. It will prove illuminating for researchers of literature, history, religion and affect theory.

Foreword

Unearthing a little-studied Reformation discourse of contentment, this book shows its surprising significance in Renaissance literature.

Product details

• Authors: Paul Joseph Zajac, Paul Joseph (Mcdaniel College ) Zajac
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.03.2023
• EAN: 9781009271660
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0927166-0
• No. of pages: 232
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; English, LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama, RELIGION / Theology, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / General, Theology, Literary studies: general, Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800, Literary studies: c 1600 to c 1800, Literary studies: plays & playwrights, Shakespeare Studies & Criticism, Literary studies: plays and playwrights, Relating to Shakespeare / Shakespearean