The Arte of English Poesie

by George Puttenham, Frank Whigham (Editor), Wayne A. Rebhorn (Editor)

George Puttenham's Art of English Poesy is a foundational work of English Renaissance criticism and literary theory. Rich in detail about the nature, purpose, and functions of poetry as well as the poet's character and goals, it is also a valuable historical document, offering generous insight into Elizabethan court culture, implicitly on display in the attitudes and values of the writer. His illustrative anecdotes enable us to watch European courtiers negotiating their social and political relationships with one another as well as with rulers and social inferiors.

This new critical edition of The Art of English Poesy contains the first modernized and fully annotated edition of Puttenham's 1589 text; a substantial introductory essay by Frank Whigham and Wayne A. Rebhorn; a comprehensive bibliography; several glossaries and appendixes; and an index. The editors' masterly essay introduces Puttenham to modern readers and situates The Art of English Poesy in the context of the rhetorical theory, poetics, and courtly conduct of its time. The introduction also includes a concise biography of Puttenham based on a variety of new and unfamiliar data: he married an older and much richer woman whom he badly mistreated; indulged habitually in a life of sexual predation; was repeatedly sued, arrested, and imprisoned; survived several supposed attempts on his life; and died, nearly indigent, in 1591. For scholars and students of the English Renaissance, the Cornell edition of The Art of English Poesy should prove the definitive edition of Puttenham's major work.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Criticism, Literary Criticism

512 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1589

About the author

English writer and literary critic. Born c. 1520—died autumn 1590, London.
Little is definitely known of his early life. His mother was the sister of Sir Thomas Elyot; his sister married Sir John Throckmorton; and by his own marriage (c. 1560) to Lady Elizabeth Windsor he was connected with other wealthy and influential families. Perhaps educated abroad, he visited Flanders and other countries between 1563 and 1578. He had matriculated at Cambridge in 1546 and was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1556. Throckmorton paid his debts and rescued him from prison in 1569, when he was charged with conspiring to murder the Calvinist bishop of London, and in 1570, when he criticized the queen’s counselors too freely.

Reviews

[emilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The folks at Cornell have done a marvelous job with this critical edition. Puttenham is chock full of obscure references, archaic language, and polylinguistic quotations. All of these are carefully navigated with an assortment of notes and a lengthy introduction (which is more entertaining than it has any right to be.)

As for Puttenham's text itself, the first two volumes are much more interesting than the third--which is essentially a long list of rhetorical figures, interesting only for the many verse quotations (often from lost manuscripts) and Puttenham's occasional parables, some of which are witty, most of which are dull. Readers looking for an Art of English Poetry from the era would probably be better off with Sir Philip Sidney's Defense. But if you're crazy enough, Puttenham is a neat curiosity.

[Yiting Zhou · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aye, this is the most boring book I've ever read in the past 2 years or so. Like a foot-binding cloth, long and odorous. Sorry Puttenham I don't usually say harsh words but this is unbearable.

This might be of interest for scholarly research esp in rhetorics though.

[WILLIAM SEATON]

My essay on "Dialectical Rhetoric in Puttenham’s Arte of English Poesie" is posted on the Poetry on the Loose site at https://williamseaton.blogspot.com/20....

[Francisca · Rating 1 out of 5]

god, this was awful and i'm glad that it's over

[ellen spencer · Rating 2 out of 5]

snoozefest

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the renaissance idea of the poet and poetry, but not one I, or any modern reader (I suspect) can agree with.

[poppy · Rating 1 out of 5]

lets be real this book is pointless

[dylan · Rating 2 out of 5]

You would never know from reading this that this dude abducted and r*ped a girl for three years

[Marin Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

bro was stressing his point but I get it. will probably be good for future reference

[Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the first book in the history of English literature to be written on the subject of poetics and prosodics. For its time it was exhaustive. Anyone interested in English language poetry, in how it may be composed and in its history, should have this book on his or her shelf.George Puttenham

[Will Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insane schematics of rhetoric - pretty much textbook-ready even today. Very interesting approach to language theory. And an ideal edition.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent new edition of an indispensable book.