Literature in the Light of the Emblem

by Peter M. Daly

The symbolic mode of thought and expression that produced the mixed art form of the emblem also informs and shapes much of the literature of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This study explores the relationship between the emblem proper and the literature of England and Germany during the period. The book proceeds from a definition of the emblem, based on a critical theory which has received little attention among English and Romance scholars, to a detailed analysis of the form and function of emblematic imagery in a variety of literary forms. The chapters following move into specific discussions of the structural affinities between emblems and poetry, drama, and fiction. The emblem-books are important as a cross-reference for the meaning of motifs in literature. They indicate what educated men knew about nature, history, and mythology and, furthermore, how they interpreted this knowledge. It is not only as a mode of thought but also as an art form that the emblem offers a valuable perspective on the purely verbal art of literature. Emblematic structure and imagery function as a formal, shaping principle in literature in all its genres and forms. Imaginatively conceived, carefully researched, and clearly presented, this book makes connections which will enrich the field of comparative studies.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802078915
• ISBN13: 9780802078919
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Best introduction to the Emblem

Peter M. Daly, Professor of German at McGill University, is one of the founders of modern Emblematic research. His book is one of the best, holistic, introduction to the emblem and emblematic studies. Emblematics is one of the most curious sub-disciplines in Renaissance studies. Some professors that I've talked to believe emblematics was a phenomenon of the 1970s and 1980s, and that its "fad" has since died out. I don't think this is true. A brief search using the MLA bibliography shows that new articles and books in this field are published every year. I think emblematics will gain more popularity as time goes on, in large part because of its interdisciplinary approach. Emblematics combines studies in myth, fable, art, painting, literature, philosophy, semiotics, and visual media--and of course Renaissance emblem books. In short, I highly recommend this book to those are interested in Renaissance studies, as well as to those who are just curious about how the gap between the fields of art history and literature has been bridged.