John Donne's performances : sermons, poems, letters and devotions / Margret Fetzer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fetzer, Margret, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Donne, John, 1572-1631--Criticism and interpretation.

Donne, John.

Donne, John, 1572-1631--Correspondence.

Church of England--England--Clergy--Correspondence.

Church of England.

Poets, English--Early modern, 1500-1700--Correspondence.

Poets, English.

Sermons, English--17th century--History and criticism.

Sermons, English.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 317 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

Paperback edition.

Place of Publication:

Manchester : Manchester University Press, 2014.

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

Ever since their rediscovery in the 1920s, John Donne's writings have been praised for their energy, vigour and drama - yet so far, no attempt has been made to approach and systematically define these major characteristics of his work. Drawing on J. L. Austin's speech act theory, this comparative reading of Donne's poetry and prose eschews questions of personal or religious sincerity, and instead recreates an image of Donne as a man of many performances. No matter if engaged in the writing of a sermon or a piece of erotic poetry, Donne placed enormous trust in what words could do. Questions as to how saying something may actually bring about that very thing, or how playing the part of someone else affects an actor's identity, are central to his oeuvre - and moreover, highly relevant in the cultural and theological contexts of the early modern period in general. Rather than his particular political or religious allegiances, Donne's preoccupation with linguistic performativity and theatrical efficaciousness is responsible for the dialogical involvedness of his sermons, the provocations of his worldly and divine poems, the aggressive patronage seeking of his letters, and the interpersonal engagement of his Devotions. In treating both canonical and lesser-known Donne texts, this book hopes to make a significant contribution not only to Donne criticism and research into early modern culture, but, by using concepts of performance and performativity as its major theoretical backdrop, it aims to establish an interdisciplinary link with the field of performance studies.

Contents:

Introduction: beginning Donne

1. Pulpit performances: sermons

2. Promethean and protean performances: worldly poems

3. Passionate performances: poems erotic and divine

4. Patronage performances: letters

5. (Inter)Personal performances: Devotions

Conclusion: being Don(n)e.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 24 Apr 2026).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781847797865

1847797865

9781781700051

1781700052

9781847792969

1847792960

OCLC:

818847534