Pastoral Drama in Early Modern Italy
The Making of a New Genre

Lisa Sampson

Cover of Pastoral Drama in Early Modern Italy

Italian Perspectives 15

Legenda

5 September 2006  •  282pp

ISBN: 978-1-904713-06-7 (hardback)  •  RRP £80, $110, €95

RenaissanceItalianDrama

Emerging in Italy in the mid-sixteenth century, pastoral drama is one of the most characteristic genres of its time. Sampson traces its uneven development into the following century by exploring masterpieces by Tasso and Guarini, and many lesser known works, some by women writers. She examines the treatment of key themes of love, Nature and Art, and the Golden Age against the background of the textual and stage production of the plays. An investigation of critical writings associated with the genre further reveals its significance to the contemporary literary scene. Sampson argues that pastoral drama stimulated not only 'modernizing' attitudes towards the canon but also new enquiries into the function and possibilities of art.

Lisa Sampson is Lecturer in Italian at the University of Reading.

Reviews:

  • ‘Handsomely produced (a tribute to its publishers and copy-editor), meticulously researched, agreeably written,with copious notes, a generous bibliography, and English translationsof all the original quotations, it is packed full with fascinating and thought-provoking information.’ — Eric Haywood, Modern Language Review 103.4, October 2008, 1138 (full text online)
  • ‘Vanno complimentati, infine, anche gli editori di Legenda (la fruttuosa collaborazione tra Maney Publishing e la Modern Humanities Research Association) che hanno curato questa pubblicazione impeccabile, e che hanno dato ampio spazio — scelta felice — ai citati originali in italiano (provveduti sempre di una traduzione inglese della stessa studiosa). In aggiunta alle note concise poste alla fine di ogni capitolo, la bibliografia e l’indice generale che concludono il libro costituiranno un utile strumento di consultazione ai molti studenti e ricercatori che troveranno una ricchissima fonte d’informazioni preziose (dalla descrizione meticolosa delle innumerevoli opere individuali, al contesto sociale, culturale e politico sempre ottimamente documentato) in questa monografia, la quale combina una chiarezza di argomentazione con un’analisi sfaccettata di un fenomeno significativo — se non proprio determinante — nel campo culturale della prima epoca moderna.’ — Rolien Scheffer, Italian Studies 64.2, Autumn 2009

Bibliography entry:

Sampson, Lisa, Pastoral Drama in Early Modern Italy: The Making of a New Genre, Italian Perspectives, 15 (Legenda, 2006)

First footnote reference: 35 Lisa Sampson, Pastoral Drama in Early Modern Italy: The Making of a New Genre, Italian Perspectives, 15 (Legenda, 2006), p. 21.

Subsequent footnote reference: 37 Sampson, p. 47.

(To see how these citations were worked out, follow this link.)

Bibliography entry:

Sampson, Lisa. 2006. Pastoral Drama in Early Modern Italy: The Making of a New Genre, Italian Perspectives, 15 (Legenda)

Example citation: ‘A quotation occurring on page 21 of this work’ (Sampson 2006: 21).

Example footnote reference: 35 Sampson 2006: 21.

(To see how these citations were worked out, follow this link.)

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