Literary Form and Its History

13 novembre 2024

Prof. Guillemette Bolens, UNIGE

Prof. Lukas Erne, UNIGE

Dr. Andrew Reilly, UNIGE

Dr. Robert Stagg, Oxford University (UK)

This event centres on the subject of literary form and its history, especially in the early modern period. It will consist of a lecture by Dr Stagg, followed by a lengthy question time, in the course of which the PhD students will be asked to engage with issues addressed during the lecture (2 hours in all); and an interactive workshop, led by Dr Stagg (3 hours). We will think about the history of literary form(s), especially sonnet form and dramatic blank verse, and how 'form' corresponds to 'style'. We will particularly consider the internationalism of early modern literary form, stretching well beyond Europe as it does, even if it has sometimes been regaded as an insular or insistently vernacular phenomenon. Most of all, we'll think about what literary form does -- how it interacts with, perhaps provides the foundation for, the ostensibly broader or bigger business of a literary text. The primary focus, here, will be on literary forms as they appear in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but these are questions with a wider resonance, and anyone interested in thinking about these matters, from any period, will be welcome, and will be able to have their work-in-progress d

UNIGE

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