honors Annabel Patterson
The problems of interpreting literature through history -- and of interpreting history through literature -- will be explored in a symposium being held Thursday-Saturday, May 4-6, in honor of Annabel Patterson, Sterling Professor of English.
The event, titled "Rethinking Historicism," is sponsored by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, the Departments of English and History, the Edward J. and Dorothy Clarke Kempf Fund, the Renaissance Studies Program and the Whitney Humanities Center.
The symposium aims to spark conversation between literary scholars and historians, particularly those interested in the interpretation of texts in early modern history, in order to explore the problems of historicism in literary studies, organizers say. Participants will reflect on the history of historicism, its present usefulness, its limitations and its future.
According to the organizers, the first decade of the 21st century "seems a perfect time" to reflect on historicism, noting the approach of the 30th anniversary of Patterson's "Marvell and the Civil Crown," which marks "a major shift toward historicism in literary studies," and of the 25th anniversary of "The Power of Forms in the English Renaissance," in which Stephen Greenblatt inaugurated the New Historicism movement. That movement, which dominated literary criticism for the past three decades, is now undergoing a re-evaluation, symposium organizers point out.
The symposium will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday with a welcoming reception and talks at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, 121 Wall St. David Quint, the George M. Bodman Professor of English and professor and chair of comparative literature, will offer welcoming remarks. Paul Alpers of Smith College will discuss "After New Criticism: Annabel Patterson, Historicist Critique and Marvell's Poetry," and Nigel Smith of Princeton University will speak on "Annabel Patterson and Activist Historicism."
Friday's events, which begin at 10 a.m., will feature three panel discussions on the topics "Histories of Historicism: A Round Table," "The Malaise of a Dominant Paradigm: Should Historicism Be Normal Science?" and "Historicizing Shakespeare: New Directions and Old Methodologies."
Three panels will be featured on Saturday on the topics "Religion and Literature," "Milton and the Dynamics of History" and "History and Literature: The Problems of Interdisciplinarity." Saturday's session also begins at 10 a.m. Patterson will offer final remarks in the afternoon, and a closing reception will begin at 6:30 p.m.
All of the events on Friday and Saturday will take place at the Whitney Humanities Center, 53 Wall St.
For further information about the symposium, call Manana Sikic at (203) 432-0673 or send e-mail to manana.sikic@yale.edu.
T H I S
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
University will review its Special Student Program
Thirteen are honored for their work promoting town-gown cooperation
Hu's speech to be broadcast, web-streamed
A lesson in egg-drop engineering
YALE & CHINA: HISTORIC TIES, EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS
China Playing a Key Role in Internationalization of Yale
Conducting Collaborative Research
Promoting Health in China
Living and Learning Together
Preparing for China's Evolving Future
Forging Mutual Understanding: The Yale-China Association
Looking Back: Yale & China
Symposium honors centennial of astronomy researcher
UAE minister speaks with Yale officials, students . . .
Foreign-language and self-guided audio tours of Yale campus . . .
Research demonstrates that neurons in brain communicate . . .
Symposium on 'Rethinking Historicism' honors Annabel Patterson
Peptide that functions like a nanosyringe offers new tool for drug delivery
Research clarifies how animals perceive environmental odors
In Memoriam: William Sloane Coffin Jr.
Graduating nursing student awarded Nightingale Scholarship
Yale Opera production will feature works by German composers
Next Dean's Workshop will explore flow cytometry research
Center to mark anniversary of city's Holocaust Memorial
Five-year grant supports surgeon's work to develop . . .
Event to celebrate students' written stories about their nursing experiences
Campus Notes
Correction
Bulletin Home|Visiting on Campus|Calendar of Events|In the News
Bulletin Board|Classified Ads|Search Archives|Deadlines
Bulletin Staff|Public Affairs|News Releases|
E-Mail Us|Yale Home