The Broadview Anthology of Sixteenth-Century Poetry and Prose (Broadview Anthologies of English Literature) - Softcover

"This substantial and generous anthology is an impressive exercise in re-mapping and opening up the literature of sixteenth-century England for students and scholars alike. It offers a much richer mix of texts and contemporary genres than has hitherto been conveniently available in print, supported by useful annotation, and online extensions and resources. Rediscovered and previously neglected material appears alongside known and familiar texts, offering ample interesting opportunities for comparative and thematic work as well as exciting engagement with 'new' and different writers. The editors are to be congratulated on the fresh and dynamic view of the sixteenth century made accessible here." -- Gweno Williams, York St. John University "For the anthologist, the literature of the Tudor period poses extraordinarily difficult choices, and this collection meets that challenge with the best solutions yet. Most refreshing to see, for me, are the selections from William Baldwin, Barnabe Riche, Will Kemp, and Richard Barnfield, the many women writers, the popular pamphlets, jest books, witchcraft treatises, the voyages, and the song books, without compromising the representation of the better-known writers. The introductions are judicious and informative and together make up a complete introduction to the authors and works of the period. This compendium is destined to become the anthology of choice for teaching the literature of the sixteenth century." -- Don Beecher, Carleton University

This anthology makes available not only extensive selections from the works of canonical writers, but also substantial extracts from writers who have either been neglected in earlier anthologies or who have only relatively recently come to the attention of twentieth and twenty-first-century scholars and teachers. Popular fiction and prose nonfiction are especially well represented, including selections from popular romances, merchant fiction, sensation pamphlets, sermons, and ballads. The texts are extensively annotated, with notes both explaining unfamiliar words and providing cultural and historical contexts.