Early Moderns, where art thou?

[Krystal]

Hello, hello everyone! While I am still in the process of deciding which PhD programs I want to apply to this fall, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to mingle with my fellow early moderns. I received my MA in Shakespeare Studies from King's College London a year and a half ago, and I seriously cannot wait to dive back in again! 

 

Let's chat! Which schools are you applying to? What would you like to focus on in the period? Where are you in the prep process? Are you as terrified and excited as I am?  (She says, hiding her chin in the Hamlet sweatshirt she's wearing to bed...)

[Dr. Old Bill]

Hi there!

 

Well, I'm sort of an "in-betweener" in terms of specialization. Technically I'm applying to Poetics programs, but my proposed research focus is primarily grounded in early modern, tracing the evolution of the sonnet from Petrarch through to Shakespeare (and beyond). Overall, my interests are transhistorical, but I have a particular affinity for the early modern period, having studied Shakespeare and Milton extensively.

 

From what I can tell, there are a lot more professors with research interests in the early modern period than there are graduate students, which is actually quite a good thing when it comes to the application process. Good luck to you...and welcome to Grad Cafe!

[jhefflol]

Here! Even though I've started to incorporate American lit into my area of study, I consider myself an Early Modernist to the core

I'm jealous of your MA: I really wanted to get mine from KC but it just didn't work out. Oh well, everything happens for a reason, right? But it won't stop me from being envious of you!

[jhefflol]

Oh and Wyatt's Torch, I agree that there are more EM professors that students. In my program (which I consider fairly large; I don't know all of the grad students) I'm the only Early Modernist. Everyone else is boring

[xolo]

King's College, Oooooooh.  The best Spanish grammar book is written in English by a couple of KC professors.  Sorry about irrelevant post.

[Krystal]

King's College, Oooooooh.  The best Spanish grammar book is written in English by a couple of KC professors.  Sorry about irrelevant post.

 

eyepod, I didn't know this at all! Thanks for sharing! I'm always interested in learning more about the wonderful professors at KCL. I didn't spend much time with the foreign language crew myself, but I'm starting to regret that now! 

[Krystal]

Hi there!

 

Well, I'm sort of an "in-betweener" in terms of specialization. Technically I'm applying to Poetics programs, but my proposed research focus is primarily grounded in early modern, tracing the evolution of the sonnet from Petrarch through to Shakespeare (and beyond). Overall, my interests are transhistorical, but I have a particular affinity for the early modern period, having studied Shakespeare and Milton extensively.

 

From what I can tell, there are a lot more professors with research interests in the early modern period than there are graduate students, which is actually quite a good thing when it comes to the application process. Good luck to you...and welcome to Grad Cafe!

 

Wyatt's Torch, I've heard through the grapevine rumors about there being more professors in the early modern period than graduate students - but I never had it totally confirmed! This is really interesting, though. It was hard for me to know for sure if this was true, especially because I spent most of my MA in a little bubble with other early modern geeks like us! As for your interests, I love 'em! I always thought that studying poetics in conjunction with Shakespeare would be a magical experience, so you'll have to confirm that for me once you're in a program! 

 

As for me, I'd LIKE to think my interests are transhistorical... but my pesky little brain always comes back 'round to this period. It's latched itself onto me and I just can't shake it. Not that I'd ever want to, of course! I plan on focusing on early modern drama and issues of gender, sexual ethics, and religious morality - and especially how these three topics intersect. Those are all really broad fields of thought, but I'm hoping to cook up something more focused in my SOP! I've got some tricks up my sleeve... somewhere. They're just stuck to the fibers right now.

 

Here! Even though I've started to incorporate American lit into my area of study, I consider myself an Early Modernist to the core

I'm jealous of your MA: I really wanted to get mine from KC but it just didn't work out. Oh well, everything happens for a reason, right? But it won't stop me from being envious of you!

 

jhefflol, I love this! I actually have a friend who wrote her MA dissertation on Shakespeare in the Civil War (and civil war-era lit), and it was about the most badass thing I've ever read! I think you've chosen your focuses well! As for KCL, it is a wonderful place, I won't lie. And it doesn't hurt that The Globe is a fifteen minute walk across the river, either! But I've heard so many amazing things about CSU Long Beach, actually! It sounds like a great program! 

[jhefflol]

jhefflol, I love this! I actually have a friend who wrote her MA dissertation on Shakespeare in the Civil War (and civil war-era lit), and it was about the most badass thing I've ever read! I think you've chosen your focuses well! As for KCL, it is a wonderful place, I won't lie. And it doesn't hurt that The Globe is a fifteen minute walk across the river, either! But I've heard so many amazing things about CSU Long Beach, actually! It sounds like a great program! 

 

I am infinitely jealous about The Globe. I was supposed to spend my birthday last summer watching Macbeth there as a groundling, but my aunt and uncle both fell sick and my focus went towards that instead. 

 

I think honestly the best thing about CSULB's MA English program is that we have two brilliant Early Modernists who are married to each other. I think that's fantastic. 

 

Hmm...Civil War lit and Shakespeare...I can't fathom how that would be anything less that fascinating! What did you focus your studies on a KC, if I might ask?

[Roquentin]

Early modernist here. Kind of. My dissertation fits the bill, but many of my pubs and other projects do not. When I get a chance to wear my early modernist hat, I study certain areas of natural philosophy through the lens of textual scholarship. I don’t really do much with early modern fiction, at least not at the moment (aside from teaching it). Will I be chastised for saying that I don’t give a damn about Shakespeare?

[Krystal]

I am infinitely jealous about The Globe. I was supposed to spend my birthday last summer watching Macbeth there as a groundling, but my aunt and uncle both fell sick and my focus went towards that instead. 

 

I think honestly the best thing about CSULB's MA English program is that we have two brilliant Early Modernists who are married to each other. I think that's fantastic. 

 

Hmm...Civil War lit and Shakespeare...I can't fathom how that would be anything less that fascinating! What did you focus your studies on a KC, if I might ask?

 

Something I really love about The Globe is that they actually record most of their productions - which means you can own them! Or even rent them. If you go to Digital Theatre, you can see a lot of shows from The Globe (in addition to other excellent London theatre). I would highly recommend their Henry V from 2012. I saw that show about seven times when I was there!

 

And early modernists who are married to each other at CSULB?! They are living the dream! That sounds so adorable.

 

As for me, I focused on concepts of sensory exploitation and the passions in early modern drama. This kind of dabbled into the genderization of monarchy and ethical grey-areas regarding the manipulation of subjects, but  I was able to work with the Globe Theatre and the actors there - so I very well couldn't pass up the opportunity to have them say a bunch of things for me on stage! My dissertation focused primarily on Henry VI parts 1 and 2. Because when you get to play with a bunch of actors... might as well work with them on your own favorite plays, eh? 

 

Anyway, how about you? What are you currently working on in your program? How will you incorporate your American Lit interests with your early modern interests? I'm very interested!!

 

 

 

Early modernist here. Kind of. My dissertation fits the bill, but many of my pubs and other projects do not. When I get a chance to wear my early modernist hat, I study certain areas of natural philosophy through the lens of textual scholarship. I don’t really do much with early modern fiction, at least not at the moment (aside from teaching it). Will I be chastised for saying that I don’t give a damn about Shakespeare?

 

Roquentin, I would say you are probably in excellent company when it comes to your feelings about Shakespeare. Most recently, of course, Ira Glass! Though while I wholeheartedly disagree with him, I still can't bring myself to do anything more than shrug and move on. I just adore the guy. But I digress... 

 

I must admit, I'm not familiar with early modern natural philosophy. I'd love to delve into it, though. What are some pieces you recommend? Some authors? How does EM natural philosophy fit in with your other projects (if at all)? This is fascinating stuff! 

[Roquentin]

 

Roquentin, I would say you are probably in excellent company when it comes to your feelings about Shakespeare. Most recently, of course, Ira Glass! Though while I wholeheartedly disagree with him, I still can't bring myself to do anything more than shrug and move on. I just adore the guy. But I digress... 

 

I must admit, I'm not familiar with early modern natural philosophy. I'd love to delve into it, though. What are some pieces you recommend? Some authors? How does EM natural philosophy fit in with your other projects (if at all)? This is fascinating stuff! 

 

 

Oh Ira Glass. What a wonderful backlash that tiny little throwaway comment drew. No, Shakespeare doesn’t suck (duh). I sometimes think, though, that the ubiquity of his plays is responsible in part for the obscurity of other early modern plays (i.e. ones that people haven’t seen and read a billion times before). The same could be said of his sonnets. Nevertheless, the Shakespeare industry keeps rolling along. This obviously benefits early modern scholarship in various ways, but there are drawbacks as well. I’ll humbly suggest that, with respect to both Shakespeare scholarship and the entertainment value of his work, there exists a point of diminishing returns. Perhaps the demands placed on that corpus are too great.

 

Changing subjects, natural philosophy is a huge umbrella. As a place to start, I’d recommend the early modern science volume of The Cambridge History of Science (2006). It really is no more than a place to start, but it offers a nice, broad overview. Its authors tend not to spend much time with the English, but there are any number of other books that do. On English science, you might enjoy The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution, by Deborah Harkness (2007). It’s essentially a series of case studies, so there are gaps, but it’s very approachable and the general premise is quite good.

[jhefflol]

As for me, I focused on concepts of sensory exploitation and the passions in early modern drama. This kind of dabbled into the genderization of monarchy and ethical grey-areas regarding the manipulation of subjects, but I was able to work with the Globe Theatre and the actors there - so I very well couldn't pass up the opportunity to have them say a bunch of things for me on stage! My dissertation focused primarily on Henry VI parts 1 and 2. Because when you get to play with a bunch of actors... might as well work with them on your own favorite plays, eh?

Anyway, how about you? What are you currently working on in your program? How will you incorporate your American Lit interests with your early modern interests? I'm very interested!!

Ughhh so jealous. KC's working relationship with The Globe was about 90% of why I wanted to study there. I would have done the same thing, and then freaked out that actors were responding to my requests on freaking stage. Heck yeah!

Right now, my program is super segregated: you're either clearly an Americanist or into British lit so I'm unable to get much help from actual classes. I'm just doing independent research and bugging bouncing my ideas off of professors. With my PhD, I want to look at how gender roles changed in the American colonies from the clearly defined roles women were given in EM England. I've read so much literature on how unmarried women, married women, and virgins were expected to behave in EM England based on religious texts and I want to explore whether or not these ideas were upheld in America once the British started to colonize.

The nature of this project has obvious logistical challenges: publishing wasn't really a concern of women authors on either front so I will be examining what few works from women authors we have in addition to letters and diaries, which are a bit of a trouble to get ahold of. Also a lot of the early women writers from the colonies are accounts from former slaves and while I certainly do not intend to ignore race or women of color in my work, I'm focusing more on the study of women who came from an English background. Right now its looking like more of a transcontinental history of women rather than a thesis-driven dissertation. I'm sure that will change as I get deeper in to my research!

ETA: I completely forgot that another "problem" with this project is that I will also be incorporating what male authors thought the roles of women should be in both geographic locations.

Edited August 19, 2014 by jhefflol