Manchester University Press Dublin: Renaissance City of Literature (The Manchester Spenser)

This volume interrogates the notion of a literary 'renaissance' in Dublin, arguing that the associated cultural pursuits were already well developed in late-medieval Ireland. It covers new ground through detailed case studies of print and literature, providing quantitative analysis of print production in Ireland, as well as unique insight into the city's literary communities and considerations of literary genres that flourished there.  The chapters address a wider range of topics than much of the existing scholarly literature, including English and European influences, the construction of Dublin literary identities, early modern reading habits and non-Anglophone contexts. Renaissance Dublin was marked by people, places and discourses that emerged and re-emerged with unexpected frequency, resulting in the cohesive view of the re-birth of literary activity in Dublin that is captured in this volume.  Featuring contributions from leading scholars of early modern Ireland, including Raymond Gillespie, Alexander S. Wilkinson, Marie-Louise Coolahan and Andrew Hadfield, Dublin: Renaissance city of literature is an invaluable resource for understanding the factors that contributed to the complex literary character of the city. Review "Brings a salutary perspective to a marginalized topic-the nature and scope of a literary Renaissance in early modern Dublin. This very appealing volume is notable for its broad historical scope (ranging from the early fifteen-century Memoriale by the Dublin-born notary and legal scribe James Yonge to Anglo-Irish writing for the stage in Restoration Dublin) and the breadth of topics it addresses." - Professor Lowell Gallagher, Studies in English Literature From the Back Cover This volume interrogates the notion of a literary 'renaissance' in Dublin, arguing that the associated cultural pursuits were already well developed in late-medieval Ireland. It covers new ground through detailed case studies of print and literature, providing quantitative analysis of print production in Ireland, as well as unique insight into the city's literary communities and considerations of literary genres that flourished there. The chapters address a wider range of topics than much of the existing scholarly literature, including English and European influences, the construction of Dublin literary identities, early modern reading habits and non-Anglophone contexts. Renaissance Dublin was marked by people, places and discourses that emerged and re-emerged with unexpected frequency, resulting in the cohesive view of the re-birth of literary activity in Dublin that is captured in this volume. Featuring contributions from leading scholars of early modern Ireland, including Raymond Gillespie, Alexander S. Wilkinson, Marie-Louise Coolahan and Andrew Hadfield, Dublin: Renaissance city of literature is an invaluable resource for understanding the factors that contributed to the complex literary character of the city. About the Author Raymond Gillespie is Professor of Modern History at National University of Ireland, Maynooth Andrew Hadfield is Professor of English at the University of Sussex