The Shorter Poems (Penguin Classics) [Mass Market Paperback]

Edmund Spenser (Author), Richard A. Mccabe (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Penguin Classics | Publication Date: May 1, 2000

Although he is most famous for "The Faerie Queene", this volume demonstrates that for these poems alone Spenser should still be ranked as one of England's foremost poets. Spenser's shorter poems reveal his generic and stylistic versatility, his remarkable linguistic skill and his mastery of complex metrical forms. The range of this volume allows him to emerge fully in the varied and conflicting personae he adopted, as satirist and eulogist, elegist and lover, polemicist and prophet. The volume includes "The Shepeardes Calender", "Complaints", and "A Theatre for Wordlings".

Editorial Reviews

Review

Ruines Of Rome
The Visions Of Bellay
Epigram: 1
The Visions Of Petrarch [formerly Translated]
Visions: 2
Visions: 3
Visions: 4
Visions: 5
Visions: 6
Amoretti (complete)
Astrophel
Colin Clouts Come Home Again
Couplet
Cupid
Daphnaida
Distich
Epigram: 7
Epithalamion
An Hymn In Honour Of Beauty
An Hymn In Honour Of Love
An Hymn Of Heavenly Beauty
An Hymn Of Heavenly Love
I Was Promised On A Time
Iambicum Trimetrum, Fr. Letter To Harvey
Muiopotmos, Or The Fate Of The Butterflie
Prosopopoia, Or Mother Hubberds Tale
Prothalamion
The Ruines Of Time
The Shepheardes Calender: April
The Shepheardes Calender: August
The Shepheardes Calender: Conclusion
The Shepheardes Calender: December
The Shepheardes Calender: Dedicatory Sonnet
The Shepheardes Calender: February
The Shepheardes Calender: January
The Shepheardes Calender: July
The Shepheardes Calender: June
The Shepheardes Calender: March
The Shepheardes Calender: May
The Shepheardes Calender: November
The Shepheardes Calender: October
The Shepheardes Calender: September
Sonet: 1
Sonet: 10
Sonet: 11
Sonet: 12
Sonet: 13
Sonet: 14
Sonet: 15
Sonet: 2
Sonet: 3
Sonet: 4
Sonet: 5
Sonet: 6
Sonet: 7
Sonet: 8
Sonet: 9
Sonnet Prefixed To 'nennio, Or A Treatise Of Nobility'
Sonnet Prefixed To 'the Commonwealth & Government Of Venice'
Sonnet To Master Gabriell Harvey, Doctor Of Lawes
Sonnet Upon Historie Of George Castriot, Alias Scanderberg
The Teares Of The Muses
Verses Upon The Said Earles Lute
Virgils Gnat
Virgils Gnat: Dedicatory Sonnet
Visions Of The Worlds Vanitie
Amoretti: Dedication. G.w. Senior, To The Author
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

About the Author

Edmund Spenser (c.1552-1599) was educated in London and Cambridge and in 1580 moved to Ireland as secretary to the Lord Deputy. His poem, The Faerie Queene, was the first English epic. Richard McCabe is a Fellow in English at Merton College Oxford and a lecturer at the University of Oxford. He has published widely on Renaissance Literature. Edited by Richard A. McCabe

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 816 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140434453
• ISBN-13: 978-0140434453
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't just read his epic Faerie Queene, May 10, 2003

By 

R. Rockwell (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Shorter Poems (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book contains all of Spenser's important poems with the exception of the Faeie Quuene which Penguin also sells. This book is hefty at almost 900 pages, 500 of which are poems including his Shepherd Calendar. I rarely read introductions and notes but found them helpful in the case of Spenser who uses some words that are archaic, but his verse is actually very easy to get the gist of almost immediately. I found reading it aloud (much to the annoyance of my sleepy cat) helped.
AS my first introduction to Spenser I was concerned about just how difficult the poems would be to understand, but as I said his language is actually understandable and even add to the enjoyment. I was surprised how emotionally affecting the poems still are, how modern in their concerns about politics, love, life and death. I have underlined sections that I plan to revisit. I agree with the other reviwer that Spenser is a major poet who should be read by all.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stellar Notes for Students!, November 28, 2004

By 

A. Gowing "adrianalvg" (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shorter Poems (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is especially helpful if you're using it in a university-level course. It has great notes in the back to aid students in understanding Spenser's use of language and the allegory that lies behind much of his writing. I have found it very helpful in my scrutinous study of Spenser. I highly recommend this edition of his shorter poems. :)