Sidney's 'The Defence of Poesy' and Selected Renaissance Literary Criticism

by Gavin Alexander

Controversy raged through England during the 1570-80s as Puritans denounced all manner of games & pastimes as a danger to public morals. Writers quickly turrned their attention to their own art and the first & most influential response came with Philip Sidney's Defense. Here he set out to answer contemporary critics &, with reference to Classical models of criticism, formulated a manifesto for English literature. Also includes George Puttenham's Art of English Poesy, Samuel Daniel's Defence of Rhyme, & passages by writers such as Ben Jonson, Francis Bacon & George Gascoigne.

548 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2004

About the author

Gavin Alexander is a university assistant lecturer in the faculty of English and a fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge.