The New Milton Criticism seeks to emphasize ambivalence and discontinuity in Milton's work and interrogate the assumptions and certainties in previous Milton scholarship. Contributors to the volume move Milton's open-ended poetics to the center of Milton studies by showing how analyzing irresolvable questions religious, philosophical and literary critical transforms interpretation and enriches appreciation of his work. The New Milton Criticism encourages scholars to embrace uncertainties in his writings rather than attempt to explain them away. Twelve critics from a range of countries,...

A Short History of Early Modern England presents the historical and cultural information necessary for a richer understanding of English Renaissance literature.

• Written in a clear and accessible style for an undergraduate level audience
• Gives an overview of the period's history as well as an understanding of the historiographic issues
• Explores key historical and literary events, from the Wars of the Roses to the publication of John Milton's Paradise Regained
• Features in depth explanations of key terms and concepts, such as absolutism and the...