Book Description
This engaging book explores Renaissance England`s ambivalent responses to the notorious French writer Francois Rabelais, famed for his learning, wordplay, and insight, but also for his scoffing, supposed atheism, filth, and irresponsible whimsy. English writers including Ben Jonson, John Donne, James I, Shakespeare, and many others both appreciated and condemned Rabelais, expressing the divisions and ambiguities of their times.
Card catalog description
The notorious French writer Francois Rabelais (1494?-1553) was also widely known for scoffing, supposed atheism, salacious writing, and irresponsible whimsy. This book is the first exploration in more than sixty years of Renaissance England's response to the humorous yet difficult and ambiguous Rabelais. Anne Lake Prescott describes in entertaining detail how a host of English writers - Philip Sidney, Ben Jonson, John Webster, John Donne, James J, Shakespeare, and Michael Drayton, among many others - collectively and sometimes individually appreciated and condemned Rabelais.
Imagining Rabelais in Renaissance England FROM THE PUBLISHER
The notorious French writer Francois Rabelais (1494?-1553) was also widely known for scoffing, supposed atheism, salacious writing, and irresponsible whimsy. This book is the first exploration in more than sixty years of Renaissance England's response to the humorous yet difficult and ambiguous Rabelais. Anne Lake Prescott describes in entertaining detail how a host of English writers - Philip Sidney, Ben Jonson, John Webster, John Donne, James J, Shakespeare, and Michael Drayton, among many others - collectively and sometimes individually appreciated and condemned Rabelais.