Divine Poetry and Drama in Sixteenth-Century England

Examines the use by writers of English versions of the Bible in sixteenth-century England.

Lily B. Campbell (Author)

9780521137010, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 3 February 2011

280 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.6 cm, 0.36 kg

The Reformation and the impact of the Renaissance were almost simultaneous in England. So the English versions of the Bible appeared at much the same time as the new, worldly forms of verse and drama. It was not long before serious-minded poets and playwrights used the Bible thus made available for new forms of religious verse. There was an important but neglected succession of writers who did this, culminating in Milton. The forms involved include the sonnet, the miniature epic and the popular drama. Miss Campbell treats both dramatic and non-dramatic literature. She shows that both kinds were new and not prolongations of medieval forms: the 'divine' lyric is a counterpart of the new secular lyric, and professedly hostile to it; and the 'divine' drama is an adaptation of current popular forms and not a development of the mystery play.

Preface
Introduction
Part I. Divine Poetry in Sixteenth-Century England: 1. The forerunner: Savonarola
2. The theorist: Erasmus
3. The Bible as English literature: Tyndale and the Catholic Opposition
4. The first English song book: Luther and Coverdale
5. The psalms as English poetry under Edward VI
6. The psalms as English poetry under Elizabeth I
7. The works of Solomon as English poetry
8. Other books of the Bible as English poetry
9. Du Bartas and King James and the Christian muse
10. Du Bartas and English poets
11. Poems about Biblical heroes
12. Divine mirrors and related poems
13. Divine erotic epyllia
14. Divine sonnets
Part II. Divine Drama in Sixteenth-Century England: 1. The divine drama and the miracle play
2. Continental origins of the divine drama in Latin
3. Continental school drama in the vernacular
4. Latin divine dramas in English schools
5. Divine dramas in English universities
6. Biblical plays for special audiences: prodigal-son plays
7. Biblical plays for special audiences
8. Biblical plays for the commons
9. Biblical plays in the public theatres
Index.

Subject Areas: Educational: English literature [YQE], Literary studies: general [DSB]