Gresham College

Literature and Politics in 17th Century London: Milton and Ralegh - Dr Anna Beer

Gresham College

Show Notes

The contrasting, but interconnected, experiences of two writers: Sir Walter Ralegh and John Milton.Uploaded 27-10-11Ralegh was a prisoner in the Tower of London between 1603 and 1616, where he wrote a number of works including the monumental (and unfinished) The History of the World.Milton spent most of his working life in the City of London, whether as a prolific writer of political pamphlets or hiding in fear of his life at the Restoration of Charles II.The lecture will illuminate the London communities that radicalised each man and reveal the networks that enabled their political thinking to reach its audience, set against the backdrop of a wider transformation in political culture; the move from manuscript to print and the explosion of publications when censorship was relaxed in 1640.What can we learn from this interplay between politics and print as we experience our own internet revolution?The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the on the Gresham College website:http://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/literature-and-politics-in-seventeenth-century-londonGresham College has been giving free public lectures since 1597. This tradition continues today with all of our five or so public lectures a week being made available for free download from our website.http://www.gresham.ac.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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