The Poetry of Religious Sorrow in Early Modern England

Resource Information

The work The Poetry of Religious Sorrow in Early Modern England represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in University of Liverpool. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

The Poetry of Religious Sorrow in Early Modern England

Statement of responsibility

Gary Kuchar

Creator

• Kuchar, Gary, 1974-
• Kuchar, Gary, 1974-

Subject

• Grief in literature
• Literature and society -- England -- History -- 16th century
• Literature and society -- England -- History -- 17th century
• Loss (Psychology) in literature
• Philosophy in literature
• Religion in literature
• Theology in literature
• Christian poetry, English -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- History and criticism
• English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700 -- History and criticism

Language

eng

Summary

In early modern England, religious sorrow was seen as a form of spiritual dialogue between the soul and God, expressing how divine grace operates at the level of human emotion. Through close readings of both Protestant and Catholic poetry, Kuchar explains how the discourses of 'devout melancholy' helped generate some of the most engaging religious verse of the period. From Robert Southwell to John Milton, from Aemilia Lanyer to John Donne, the language of 'holy mourning' informed how poets represented the most intimate and enigmatic aspects of faith as lived experience. In turn, 'holy mourning' served as a way of registering some of the most pressing theological issues of the day. By tracing poetic representations of religious sorrow from Crashaw's devotional verse to Shakespeare's weeping kings, Kuchar expands our understanding of the interconnections between poetry, theology and emotion in post-Reformation England

Member of

• Online access with purchase: Cambridge Books Online

Cataloging source

UkCbUP

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

dictionaries