Review of 'On Shakespeare and early modern literature: Essays' by John Kerrigan

Abstract

John Kerrigan is one of the very best of today’s commentators on “Early Modern” (I still prefer “Renaissance”) literature. Although he has also written on other periods, he here concentrates on “a body of writing which, in its linguistic and social richness, has probably never been equalled” (vii). All of the essays except a richly rewarding one on “William Drummond and the British Problem” have appeared before, but all of them deserve their place in this excellent volume. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.)