About the book
In The Work of Self–Representation Ivy Schweitzer examines early American poetry through the critical lens of gender. Her concern is not the inclusion of female writers into the canon; rather, she analyzes how the metaphors of “woman” and “feminine” function in Puritan religious and literary discourse to represent both the “otherness” of spiritual experience and the ways in which race and class function to keep the “other” in marginalized positions.
Schwetizer argues that gender was for seventeenth–century new England — and still is today — a basic and most politically charged metaphor for the differences that shape identity and determine cultural position. To glimpse the struggle between gender ideology and experience, Schweitzer provides close readings of the poetry of four New Englanders writing between the Great Migration and the first wave of the Great Awakening: John Fiske, Edward Taylor, Anne Bradstreet, and Roger Williams.
Schweitzer focuses exclusively on lyric poetry, she says, because a first–person speaker wrestling with the intricacies of individual consciousness provides fruitful ground for exploring the politics of voice and identity and especially problems of authority, intertextuality, and positionality. Fiske and Taylor define the orthodox tradition, and Bradstreet and Williams in different ways challenge it. Her treatment of the familiar poetry of Bradstreet and Taylor is solidly grounded in historical and literary scholarship yet suggestive of the new insights gained from a gender analysis, while discussions of Fiske and Williams bring their little–known lyric work to light.
Taken together, these poets' texts illustrate the cultural construction of a troubled masculinity and an idealized, effaced femininity implicit in the Puritan notion of redeemed subjectivity, and constitute a profoundly disturbing and resilient part of our Puritan legacy.
Editions of The Work of Self-Representation
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807819791
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807843291
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807864418
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890866721
Read an Excerpt
In The Work of Self–Representation Ivy Schweitzer examines early American poetry through the critical lens of gender. Her concern is not the inclusion of female writers into the canon; rather, she analyzes how the metaphors of “woman” and “feminine” function in Puritan religious and literary discourse to represent both the “otherness” of spiritual experience and the ways in which race and class function to keep the “other” in marginalized positions.
Schwetizer argues that gender was for seventeenth–century new England — and still is today — a basic and most politically charged metaphor for the differences that shape identity and determine cultural position. To glimpse the struggle between gender ideology and experience, Schweitzer provides close readings of the poetry of four New Englanders writing between the Great Migration and the first wave of the Great Awakening: John Fiske, Edward Taylor, Anne Bradstreet, and Roger Williams.
Schweitzer focuses exclusively on lyric poetry, she says, because a first–person speaker wrestling with the intricacies of individual consciousness provides fruitful ground for exploring the politics of voice and identity and especially problems of authority, intertextuality, and positionality. Fiske and Taylor define the orthodox tradition, and Bradstreet and Williams in different ways challenge it. Her treatment of the familiar poetry of Bradstreet and Taylor is solidly grounded in historical and literary scholarship yet suggestive of the new insights gained from a gender analysis, while discussions of Fiske and Williams bring their little–known lyric work to light.
Taken together, these poets' texts illustrate the cultural construction of a troubled masculinity and an idealized, effaced femininity implicit in the Puritan notion of redeemed subjectivity, and constitute a profoundly disturbing and resilient part of our Puritan legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Work of Self-Representation about?
In The Work of Self–Representation Ivy Schweitzer examines early American poetry through the critical lens of gender. Her concern is not the inclusion of female writers into the canon; rather, she analyzes how the metaphors of “woman” and “feminine” function in Puritan religious and literary discourse to represent both the “otherness” of spiritual experience and the ways in which race and class function to keep the “other” in marginalized positions.
Schwetizer argues that gender was for seventeenth–century new England — and still is today — a basic and most politically charged metaphor for the differences that shape identity and determine cultural position. To glimpse the struggle between gender ideology and experience, Schweitzer provides close readings of the poetry of four New Englanders writing between the Great Migration and the first wave of the Great Awakening: John Fiske, Edward Taylor, Anne Bradstreet, and Roger Williams.
Schweitzer focuses exclusively on lyric poetry, she says, because a first–person speaker wrestling with the intricacies of individual consciousness provides fruitful ground for exploring the politics of voice and identity and especially problems of authority, intertextuality, and positionality. Fiske and Taylor define the orthodox tradition, and Bradstreet and Williams in different ways challenge it. Her treatment of the familiar poetry of Bradstreet and Taylor is solidly grounded in historical and literary scholarship yet suggestive of the new insights gained from a gender analysis, while discussions of Fiske and Williams bring their little–known lyric work to light.
Taken together, these poets' texts illustrate the cultural construction of a troubled masculinity and an idealized, effaced femininity implicit in the Puritan notion of redeemed subjectivity, and constitute a profoundly disturbing and resilient part of our Puritan legacy.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Work of Self-Representation?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: poetry and poets
Where can I read a sample of The Work of Self-Representation?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807819791
How long is The Work of Self-Representation and how many pages does it have?
The Work of Self-Representation has 322 page(s)
Is The Work of Self-Representation part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Gender and American Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Work of Self-Representation?
Ivy Schweitzer
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Work of Self-Representation is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807819791) and paperback(ISBN 9780807843291) and ebook(ISBN 9780807864418) and pdf(ISBN 9798890866721)
Where can I buy The Work of Self-Representation online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy The Work of Self-Representation?