Reinventing Allegory

Reinventing Allegory asks how and why allegory has survived as a literary mode from the late Renaissance to the postmodern present. Three chapters on Romanticism, including one on the painter J.M.W. Turner, present this era as the pivotal moment in allegory's modern survival, while other chapters describe larger historical and philosophical contexts, from classical rhetoric to recent theory and metafiction. Using a series of key historical moments to define the special character of modern allegory, this study assesses allegory's role in comtemporary literary culture.

Awards

• Winner of the 1998 South Central Modern Language Association Prize

Reviews & endorsements

"... a learned and ambitious study. It is a powerful achievement. Kelley's reinvention of allegory lies in her fresh and vital sense of the capacity for allegory to become a formidable agent of cultural critique and subversion on one hand, and of repression on the other. On every page, Kelley's meticulous subtle close readings engage in, rather than simply demonstrate, the demanding dialetical work of allegorical figuration. Of this allegorist of capability, one wants to ask: of what is Theresa Kelley not capable? This imposing, accomplished and valuable book gives no hints. For decades to come -- and for readers well beyond the field of Romanticism--it will be a touchstone for all critical discussion of allegory, modernity, and much else besides." Esther Schor for Romantic Circles Website

Customer reviews

Product details

• Date Published: December 2010
• format: Paperback
• isbn: 9780521157773
• length: 364 pages

• dimensions: 229 x 152 x 21 mm
• weight: 0.53kg
• availability: Available