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Willobie His Avisa: The Bodley Head Quartos, XV
Hardcover
Literary CriticismGeneral Poetry
ISBN13: 9781026084076
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 280
Weight: 1.25
Height: 0.69 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Willobie His Avisa is a significant Elizabethan poem, first published in 1594, that has long intrigued scholars for its potential connections to William Shakespeare. The work tells the story of Avisa, a woman of remarkable virtue who successfully resists the persistent advances of several suitors, including a nobleman and a foreign traveler.
The narrative is structured as a series of dialogues and verses, portraying Avisa's steadfast moral character against characters such as H.W. and his advisor, W.S. These figures have historically been linked by critics to Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, and Shakespeare himself, making the poem a cornerstone of Elizabethan literary detective work. One of the earliest contemporary references to Shakespeare in print is found within these pages, providing invaluable evidence for his contemporary reputation.
Beyond its biographical puzzles, Willobie His Avisa serves as a compelling example of 16th-century verse, offering a window into the social mores, gender dynamics, and poetic styles of the late Tudor period. This work remains an essential text for students of Renaissance literature and those fascinated by the enduring mysteries surrounding the literary circles of the 1590s.
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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