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English Biography Before 1700
Hardcover
Literary FiguresLiterary CriticismBritish History
ISBN13: 9781025629629
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 418
Weight: 1.67
Height: 0.94 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
English Biography Before 1700 offers a comprehensive and scholarly exploration of the evolution of life writing in England from its medieval roots through the end of the seventeenth century. This foundational work of literary criticism traces the development of the biographical form, examining how the art of recording human lives shifted from early hagiography and formal chronicles to the more nuanced, psychological portraits that began to emerge in the early modern era.
The study surveys a vast range of materials, including saints' lives, royal accounts, and the burgeoning secular biographies of the Renaissance and Restoration periods. Donald A. Stauffer analyzes the stylistic shifts and thematic preoccupations of early biographers, illustrating how the political, religious, and social upheavals of the time influenced the way individuals were memorialized. The book provides deep insight into the works of influential figures such as Izaak Walton and John Aubrey, while also highlighting the contributions of many lesser-known writers who helped shape the genre. As an essential resource for understanding the origins of English prose and narrative tradition, English Biography Before 1700 remains an indispensable guide for students of literary history and the intellectual landscape of pre-1700 England.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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