Monasticism and idleness in Spenser's late poetry
Abstract
Spenser's late poetry- especially Colin Clouts Come Home Againe and book 6 of The Faerie Queene- represents the associated concepts of monasticism and idleness in surprisingly positive ways. This article argues that these positive representations criticize a dominant Tudor discourse of industry; help to redefine the meaning of spiritual and intellectual labor, including that of poetry itself; and emphasize the importance of empathy as a literary and human value. © 2014 Rice University.
Publication Title
SEL - Studies in English Literature
Recommended Citation
Phillips, J. (2014). Monasticism and idleness in Spenser's late poetry. SEL - Studies in English Literature, 54 (1), 59-79. https://doi.org/10.1353/sel.2014.0003
COinS
