The Rise and Fall of Merry England: The Ritual Year 1400-1700 [Hardcover]

Ronald Hutton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1994

An entertaining book that breaks new scholarly ground, The Rise and Fall of Merry England explores the rituals which marked the passage of the year in late medieval and early modern England. Treating both religious and secular rituals, and both popular and elite ones, Hutton tells how they altered over time in response to political, religious, and social change. He also addresses some key issues in English history: the character and pace of the Reformation; the context of beloved writers like Ben Jonson and Robert Herrick; the origins of the science of folklore; and the impact of the English Revolution. A comprehensive work that breaks several frontiers, this highly readable book will delight all those interested in English history and folklore.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Beautifully written by a first-rate scholar, this book should be in every library. Hutton examined a vast number of primary sources and synthesized them into a succinct work that is a true pleasure to read."--Choice

"Hutton has written a scholarly text that convinces and delights through his masterly deployment of illustrative detail."--Observer

"...[A] wide-ranging and creative book...well-written and accessible...Hutton's original research provides fascinating material...a book of tremendous breadth and imagination, well worth reading for scholars of many specialties."--The Historian

About the Author

About the Author:
Ronald Hutton is Reader in History at the University of Bristol and author of numerous books including Charles II: King of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Oxford, 1989) and The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles (1991).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (December 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198203632
• ISBN-13: 978-0198203636
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,327,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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