The Spirit of England

Selected Essays of Stephen Medcalf

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Foreign Languages, Language Arts
Cover of the book The Spirit of England by Stephen Medcalf, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Stephen Medcalf ISBN: 9781351540391
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: July 5, 2017
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Stephen Medcalf
ISBN: 9781351540391
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: July 5, 2017
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

Stephen Medcalf (1937-2006) was an essayist, in the best traditional sense of that calling: a writer not of books but of substantial and justly celebrated essays, widely read in the Times Literary Supplement and elsewhere. Medcalf's abiding question to the world was the Psalmist's: 'What is man that thou art mindful of him?' His was a Blakean sense of Englishness, far from the chocolate-box painting or the television adaptation, and for him the strongest writers were those keenly aware of their roots in the classical, Anglo-Saxon or Celtic past. By gathering together Medcalf's most important work, this volume shows the coherence of his thinking, and of the elusive, complicated literary heritage he celebrated, one which acknowledges the Greco-Roman strain, the Christian strain, the down-to-earth humour and the sly irony. Thirteen substantial essays cover Virgil, the Bible, the English translation of Alfred, Piers Plowman, the 'half-alien culture' of the high Middle Ages, Chaucer's contemporary Thomas Usk, Shakespeare's images of resurrection, Horace and Kipling juxtaposed, G. K. Chesterton, T. S. Eliot's use of Ovid, P. G. Wodehouse, William Golding, John Betjeman, Geoffrey Hill and other writers. The book concludes with perhaps Medcalf's most personal article of all: his account of finding a baby in a phone box on a cold winter's night, which first appeared in the Guardian Christmas Supplement in 2002.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Stephen Medcalf (1937-2006) was an essayist, in the best traditional sense of that calling: a writer not of books but of substantial and justly celebrated essays, widely read in the Times Literary Supplement and elsewhere. Medcalf's abiding question to the world was the Psalmist's: 'What is man that thou art mindful of him?' His was a Blakean sense of Englishness, far from the chocolate-box painting or the television adaptation, and for him the strongest writers were those keenly aware of their roots in the classical, Anglo-Saxon or Celtic past. By gathering together Medcalf's most important work, this volume shows the coherence of his thinking, and of the elusive, complicated literary heritage he celebrated, one which acknowledges the Greco-Roman strain, the Christian strain, the down-to-earth humour and the sly irony. Thirteen substantial essays cover Virgil, the Bible, the English translation of Alfred, Piers Plowman, the 'half-alien culture' of the high Middle Ages, Chaucer's contemporary Thomas Usk, Shakespeare's images of resurrection, Horace and Kipling juxtaposed, G. K. Chesterton, T. S. Eliot's use of Ovid, P. G. Wodehouse, William Golding, John Betjeman, Geoffrey Hill and other writers. The book concludes with perhaps Medcalf's most personal article of all: his account of finding a baby in a phone box on a cold winter's night, which first appeared in the Guardian Christmas Supplement in 2002.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Curriculum Leadership Development by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Apraxia by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Drama Lessons: Ages 7-11 by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Twentieth-Century Chamber Music by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Philippine Politics by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Theory After 'Theory' by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Accessory Apartments in Single-family Housing by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Annoying the Victorians by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Ancient Greek Laws by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Nervous Disorders of Men (Psychology Revivals) by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Supporting Children with Communication Problems by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Anxiety in a 'Risk' Society by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Sorcerers of Dobu by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book Is Art History Global? by Stephen Medcalf
Cover of the book The Internationalisation of Retailing in Asia by Stephen Medcalf
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy