LitSalon Short #3: Demystifying the English Renaissance

Have you ever felt drawn to Shakespeare, or Spenser, or Donne, but found them too difficult, elaborate or remote? Do you sometimes wonder whether 16^th and 17^th-century poetry in English is only for the initiated?

This LitSalon Short invites lovers of poetry and the Renaissance – or those who remain curious – to embark on a journey to the past. In our 90-minute session we will search for connections with our own times as we explore themes in 16^th and 17^th century English poetry, such as impermanence, spectacle and pathos. We will consider how ‘reading’ artefacts of the time alongside text can add to our reading experience, and what the resulting conversation can reveal about both the distant past and our own present.

This free single session stands on its own, but can also be used as an introduction to the ongoing ‘English Renaissance through Texts and Objects’ series which has been running in the LitSalon since 2021. The next four studies can be found below.

JOINING DETAILS:

• A LitSalon Short, 90 minutes, free of charge
• Sunday 14 April, 4.30-6.00 pm BST
• Led by Vivien Kogut
• Related studies The English Renaissance Through Texts and Objects:
  Appearance x Essence
  Transformation
  Human Passions
  Swift-footed Time