The Poem, the Garden, and the World: Poetry and Performativity in Elizabethan England

The Poem, the Garden, and the World explores the relationship between place and movement in early modern literature, comparing gardens to poems and illustrating how literary creations can transform readers.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2024
Publisher: Northwestern University Press

The comparison between a garden and a poem has been a prevalent theme in early modern literature, as demonstrated by Jim Ellis's exploration. The metaphor gained further traction with the emergence of the Renaissance pleasure garden, which enveloped visitors in a political allegory that could be interpreted through their bodily movements. The Poem, the Garden, and the World delves into the Renaissance-era relationship between place and movement, tracing its evolution from gardens to poetry and ultimately converging on a fusion of both.

Ellis begins his journey by examining the Earl of Leicester's pleasure garden, created specifically for Queen Elizabeth's 1575 progress visit. This garden served as a political spectacle, immersing visitors in a fully realized golden world that symbolized the nation. Ellis explores the political function of this entertainment landscape, which transported visitors into a mythical realm, offering a new form to represent the nation.

Next, Ellis turns his attention to one of the visitors to this garden, Philip Sidney, who would later articulate a profound belief in the power of literature to move individuals as they traversed its golden worlds. Sidney believed that literature's mythical realms had the ability to reorient readers, fostering a sense of belief in the English empire. This idea would later be exemplified through Edmund Spenser's renowned poem, "The Faerie Queen." Like the pleasure garden, "The Faerie Queen" refashions both characters and readers as they navigate its dreamlike space.

Through his analysis of the artistic creations of three prominent figures of the era, Ellis argues for a performative understanding of literature. He posits that readers are transformed as they navigate the poetic worlds created by these writers, experiencing a sense of embodiment and immersion that goes beyond mere reading. The garden and the poem become vehicles for political allegory, cultural representation, and personal transformation, creating a rich tapestry of early modern literary and cultural experiences.

In conclusion, The Poem, the Garden, and the World offers a captivating exploration of the Renaissance-era relationship between place and movement, tracing its evolution from gardens to poetry and ultimately converging on a fusion of both. Through his analysis of the artistic creations of three prominent figures, Ellis demonstrates the performative nature of literature, in which readers are transformed as they navigate the poetic worlds created by these writers. This book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of early modern literature, culture, and the power of artistic expression to shape our understanding of the world.

Weight: 517g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780810145306