Pastoral and the Poetics of Self-Contradiction Theocritus to Marvell [Paperback]

Exploration of ways in which poets interrogate the contradictory relations inherent in pastoral as a genre, first published in 1995.Humanist and historicist views of pastoral as a genre are subject to challenge in this 1995 book. Judith Haber offers an alternative perspective by exploring ways in which pastoral poets themselves interrogate the contradictory relations inherent in their genre, an exploration which raises wider questions concerning the place of literature in society.Humanist and historicist views of pastoral as a genre are subject to challenge in this 1995 book. Judith Haber offers an alternative perspective by exploring ways in which pastoral poets themselves interrogate the contradictory relations inherent in their genre, an exploration which raises wider questions concerning the place of literature in society.The traditional view of pastoral as a static genre, aimed at the recreation of an idyllic past, has recently been challenged by historicist critics. Here Judith Haber complicates the opposition between humanist and historicist perspectives by examining ways in which pastoral poets themselves interrogate the contradictory relations inherent in their genre. Focusing on texts by Theocritus, Virgil, Sidney, and Marvell, Haber revises current understanding of pastoral, and raises wider questions about literature in society and the establishment of literary tradition.Acknowledgements; Texts and abbreviations; Introduction: 'Remedies themselves complain': pastoral poetry, pastoral criticism; 1. Bringing it all back home: bucolic and heroic in Theocritus' Idylls; 2. Si numquam fallit imago: Virgil's revision of Theocritus; 3. Pastime and passion: the impasse in the Old Arcadia; 4. Complaints themselves remedy: Marvell's lyrics as problem and solution; Epilogue: farewell to pastoral: The Shepherd's Week; Notes; Works cited; Index. Haber nicely catches the power that resides in Marvell's commitment to the 'minor' tradition of pastoral, his pursuit of a ml��