Overview

Both John Milton and Andrew Marvell have been revaluated in recent years. Yet this is the first sustained scholarly work to compare the two great seventeenth-century poets. In his new book, which stands as the culmination of a distinguished academic career, Warren Chernaik examines the relationship of the two writers and their complex responses to their troubled times. The poets were close friends, yet the trajectory of their careers and their posthumous reputations differed significantly. As well as taking an active part in the major political and religious upheavals of their times, both poets engaged seriously with classical, Christian and humanist thought. Combining close readings of their poetry and prose with detailed consideration of historical and intellectual context, Chernaik sheds fresh light on the enduring works of poets whose words still resonate strongly with today's readers.

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9781009735650

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Reviews

'Warren Chernaik's Marvell and Milton: Poets in a Fallen World is the fruit of a lifetime's reflection on, writing about, and – perhaps especially – teaching of the poetry and prose of the two great seventeenth-century authors. It issues in a series of compelling close readings, sparked by a word like 'fit' in Milton or an otherwise unobtrusive change of tense in a Marvell lyric. While these are worth the price of admission alone, we also get judicious reflections on the scholarly state of the art and a surprising and bracing scepticism about the way Marvell and Milton have been (over-)historicized.' Martin Dzelzainis, Emeritus Professor of Renaissance Literature and Thought, University of Leicester 'The culmination of a distinguished life in scholarship, and a provocative intervention. While offering significant contributions on Milton, the book's beating heart is Marvell and Chernaik's critical insights into his religious identity. The lucid scholarship and accessible style will make this a helpful resource for researchers, teachers, and students.' Niall Allsopp, Senior Lecturer in English, University of Exeter

Author Information

Warren Chernaik was Emeritus Professor of English at the University of London. He taught at The Ohio State University, The City College of New York and Boston University before moving to the UK and an appointment at Queen Mary College, University of London. His books include Milton and the Burden of Freedom (Cambridge University Press, 2017), The Poet's Time: Politics and Religion in the Work of Andrew Marvell (Cambridge University Press, 1983), The Myth of Rome in Shakespeare and his Contemporaries (Cambridge University Press, 2011), The Cambridge Introduction to Shakespeare's History Plays (Cambridge University Press, 2007), and Sexual Freedom in Restoration Literature (Cambridge University Press, 1995).

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