The Oxford Anthology of English Literature: Vol 2: The Literature of Renaissance England

The Oxford Anthology of English Literature

by John Hollander

This volume includes works by Spenser (excerpts from all books of The Faerie Queene), Shakespeare (including The Tempest), Marlowe (Dr. Faustus, Hero and Leander), Donne, and Milton (Comus, Samson Agonistes, and long excerpts from Paradise Lost).

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies, Classics, Nonfiction, Literature

Paperback

First published March 28, 1973

Reviews

[Nikki]

A handful of readings were assigned from this anthology for my Alchemical & Hermetic Traditions class. We were assigned excerpts from Faerie Queen and Milton as well as a few small poems. What I enjoyed the most were the complete readings we had for Dr. Faustus and The Tempest. I had fun reading Marlowe's Dr. Faustus and comparing it to Goethe's Faust. I always find variations in storytelling interesting. Where as Goethe presented a Faust that was really more of a pawn and subject to the temptations of the devil, Marlowe's Faustus seeks the devil himself. As for The Tempest, I read a lot of Shakespeare in high school and college, and I honestly can't remember if I read this play before or not! I enjoyed it though. I think the scenes with Miranda and Ferdinand were my favorite. I always enjoy over-the-top romance. They fall in love so quickly and so hard! You really can't help but smile at it.
All in all, I will admit none of these readings have helped me understand alchemy any better beyond seeing how present it was in Renaissance lit. And I know I only picked up on fragments of it. I'm looking forward to our class lecture coming up, where I know my instructor will spotlight the alchemical elements and help us get a better understanding on this ancient tradition.

[Agustín Fest]

Este libro fue mi Biblia durante muchos años.