The Sky in Early Modern English Literature

A Study of Allusions to Celestial Events in Elizabethan and Jacobean Writing, 1572-1620
1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4419-7813-4
Verlag: Springer Netherlands

Buch, Englisch, 111 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 382 g

Astronomy is not just a subject unto itself. We all look at the sky, and it has always been a fertile source of guidance and inspiration in art, music, and literature. This book explores the sky’s appearances in music and art, but focuses most on the sky’s enormous presence in early modern English literature. The author concentrates on William Shakespeare, whose references to the sky far exceed the combined total of all his contemporaries. Venturing into the historical context of these references, the book teaches about the Supernovae of 1572 and 1604, the abundant comets of this period, eclipses, astrology and its relation to the night sky at the time, and the early years of the telescope and how the literature of the time relates to it. This book promises to open doors between two great fields of study by inspiring readers to look for their own connections between astronomy and literature, and by helping them to enjoy the night sky itself more completely.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Levy, David H.

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Englische Literatur
• Naturwissenschaften Astronomie Astronomie: Sachbuch
• Naturwissenschaften Astronomie Geschichte der Astronomie
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literarische Stoffe, Motive und Themen
• Naturwissenschaften Astronomie Astronomische Beobachtung: Observatorien, Instrumente, Methoden

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Abstract.- Preface.- General Introduction.- Chapter One: The Stella Novae of 1572 and 1604.- Chapter Two: Comets and Meteors: A Rich Harvest from 1573 to 1607.- Chapter Three: These Late Eclipses.- Chapter Four: Of Signs and Seasons.- Chapter Five: The Telescope in Early Modern English Literature.- Appendix: A Selection of References to the Sky in Writings from 1572 to 1620.- Postscript.- Works cited.