Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England
Literature and the Erotics of Recollection
By John S. Garrison, Kyle Pivetti | Publisher: Taylor and Francis
About the book
This volume brings together two vibrant areas of Renaissance studies today: memory and sexuality. The contributors show that not only Shakespeare but also a broad range of his contemporaries were deeply interested in how memory and sexuality interact. Are erotic experiences heightened or deflated by the presence of memory? Can a sexual act be commemorative? Can an act of memory be eroticized? How do forms of romantic desire underwrite forms of memory? To answer such questions, these authors examine drama, poetry, and prose from both major authors and lesser-studied figures in the canon of Renaissance literature. Alongside a number of insightful readings, they show that sonnets enact a sexual exchange of memory; that epics of nationhood cannot help but eroticize their subjects; that the act of sex in Renaissance tragedy too often depends upon violence of the past. Memory, these scholars propose, re-shapes the concerns of queer and sexuality studies – including the unhistorical, the experience of desire, and the limits of the body. So too does the erotic revise the dominant trends of memory studies, from the rhetoric of the medieval memory arts to the formation of collective pasts.
Editions of Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England
- EBook
- ISBN 9781317548874
- PDF
- ISBN 9781317548881
Read an Excerpt
This volume brings together two vibrant areas of Renaissance studies today: memory and sexuality. The contributors show that not only Shakespeare but also a broad range of his contemporaries were deeply interested in how memory and sexuality interact. Are erotic experiences heightened or deflated by the presence of memory? Can a sexual act be commemorative? Can an act of memory be eroticized? How do forms of romantic desire underwrite forms of memory? To answer such questions, these authors examine drama, poetry, and prose from both major authors and lesser-studied figures in the canon of Renaissance literature. Alongside a number of insightful readings, they show that sonnets enact a sexual exchange of memory; that epics of nationhood cannot help but eroticize their subjects; that the act of sex in Renaissance tragedy too often depends upon violence of the past. Memory, these scholars propose, re-shapes the concerns of queer and sexuality studies – including the unhistorical, the experience of desire, and the limits of the body. So too does the erotic revise the dominant trends of memory studies, from the rhetoric of the medieval memory arts to the formation of collective pasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England about?
This volume brings together two vibrant areas of Renaissance studies today: memory and sexuality. The contributors show that not only Shakespeare but also a broad range of his contemporaries were deeply interested in how memory and sexuality interact. Are erotic experiences heightened or deflated by the presence of memory? Can a sexual act be commemorative? Can an act of memory be eroticized? How do forms of romantic desire underwrite forms of memory? To answer such questions, these authors examine drama, poetry, and prose from both major authors and lesser-studied figures in the canon of Renaissance literature. Alongside a number of insightful readings, they show that sonnets enact a sexual exchange of memory; that epics of nationhood cannot help but eroticize their subjects; that the act of sex in Renaissance tragedy too often depends upon violence of the past. Memory, these scholars propose, re-shapes the concerns of queer and sexuality studies – including the unhistorical, the experience of desire, and the limits of the body. So too does the erotic revise the dominant trends of memory studies, from the rhetoric of the medieval memory arts to the formation of collective pasts.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: general
Where can I read a sample of Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781317548874
Is Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Routledge Studies in Renaissance Literature and Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England?
John S. Garrison, Kyle Pivetti
Who is the Publisher of the book Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England?
Taylor and Francis
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Sexuality and Memory in Early Modern England is available as ebook(ISBN 9781317548874) and pdf(ISBN 9781317548881)