The Letter from Prison: Literature of Cultural Resistance in Early Modern England

By: W. Clark Gilpin

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Synopsis: Letters from prison testifying to deeply felt ethical principles have a long history, extending from antiquity to the present day. In the early modern era, the rise of printing houses helped turn these letters into a powerful form of political and religious resistance. W. Clark Gilpin’s fascinating book examines how letter writers in England—ranging from archbishops to Quaker women—consolidated the prison letter as a literary form.Drawing from a large collection of printed prison letters written from the reign of Henry VIII to the closing decades of the seventeenth century, Gilpin explores the genre's many facets within evolving contexts of reformation and revolution. The writers of these letters portrayed the prisoner of conscience as a distinct persona and the prison as a place of redemptive suffering where bearing witness had the power to change society.The Letter from Prison features a diverse cast of characters and a literary genre that combines drama and inspiration. It is sure to appeal to those interested in early modern England, prison literature, and cultural forms of resistance.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:: 9780271097923
Related ISBNs:: 9780271097350
Publisher:: Penn State University Press
Date of Addition:: 06/24/24
Copyrighted By:: W. Clark Gilpin
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: History, Literature and Fiction, Religion and Spirituality, Language Arts, Politics and Government
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.