Overview

This title was first published in 2002: As attested to by scholars from Macaulay via Virginia Woolf to more recent critics, the letters of Dorothy Osborne (b. 1627) are not only the most elegant, but are also the most consistently readable in the language. In this revised and updated edition of her letters to the man whom she would propose and later marry, the author presents, along with transcriptions of the letters themselves, their publication history, and an in-depth exploration of the political, social, literary and critical contexts surrounding them. Osborne's letters offer astonishingly sharp-sighted comments on political and cultural events of her time. As told by the author, the story of their creation, transmission and preservation offers a fascinating insight into the mind of a remarkable woman whose actions provide revealing insights into, and materials for, the study of the politics of culture in one of the key moments of transformation in England.

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9781138723412

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'The letters of Dorothy Osborne...were splendidly edited in 1928 by C. G. Moore Smith. This edition has now been superseded by the Penguin edition of Kenneth Parker, 1987. With its full introduction, notes, and bibliography, Parker's edition is the starting point for further study of Osborne.' The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 6th Edition, Volume 1 '... Osborne wrote with intelligence and in a graceful style. Modern readers will enjoy her wit and humor and empathize with her despair and melancholy. The letter are of value and interest to both historians and literary scholars. Kenneth Parker [...] has meticulously edited and dated Osborne's letters, fully annotates the collection, and includes appendixes on matters relevant to the families... Parker has provided students and scholars an important source, nicely situated in its social context, and a pleasure to read.' Sixteenth Century Journal 'Kenneth Parker's edition of Dorothy Osbone's letters is an excellent contribution to the study of early modern women writers... the new Ashgate edition will doubtless become standard for Osborne scholarship and continue to stimulate interest in a figure who has a tremendous amount to offer anyone interested in early modern women.' Literature & History

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