Institutions of Literature, 1700-1900

This collection explores the role of institutions in the production, reception, and meaning of literature from 1700-1900, highlighting the transition from patronage to a marketplace. It offers a comparative German case study and encourages its approaches to be taken up in other cultural contexts.

Format: Hardback
Length: 316 pages
Publication date: 21 July 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This collection offers students and researchers a fresh and engaging perspective on the role of institutions in the creation, reception, and interpretation of literature between 1700 and 1900. This period marked a significant shift from a patronage system to a marketplace, where institutions played a crucial mediating role between writers and readers. This transition had far-reaching consequences that continue to shape our understanding of literature today.

As producers themselves, institutions exerted authority.

control over a diverse range of cultural domains that never formed a cohesive system. The collection primarily focuses on British and imperial environments, with a comparative German case study, but its methodologies can be applied to various other cultural contexts.

From the Post Office to museums, from physical structures to intangible institutions such as authorship and genre, this collection pioneers a new field of literary studies. By exploring the interactions between writers, readers, and institutions, it sheds light on the complex ways in which literature was produced, consumed, and understood in the past.

This collection provides valuable insights into the role of institutions in shaping the literary landscape of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its interdisciplinary approach encourages scholars to consider the interplay between cultural, social, and political factors in the production and reception of literature. It also highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in studying literature, as different disciplines offer unique perspectives and methodologies that can enrich our understanding of the past.

In conclusion, this collection is a groundbreaking contribution to the field of literary studies. It offers a fresh perspective on the role of institutions in the production, reception, and interpretation of literature and provides valuable insights into the complex ways in which literature was shaped by the social, cultural, and political contexts of the past. By exploring the interactions between writers, readers, and institutions, it opens up new avenues for research and interpretation and encourages scholars to consider the enduring impact of the past on our present.

Weight: 616g
Dimension: 235 x 158 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108830201