Since people have been asking ...

[truepenny]

I'm getting my Ph.D. in English Literature; my period is the Renaissance (defined by my department as 1500-1660); my specialty is drama. I'm writing my dissertation on ghosts in Renaissance revenge tragedy; the specific texts I'm using are:

• The Spanish Tragedy, by Thomas Kyd


• Bussy D'Ambois, by George Chapman (the Chapman of "On Looking into Chapman's Homer," in case you were wondering)


• The Atheist's Tragedy, by Cyril Tourneur (pronounced "Turner")


• The Changeling, by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley


• The Revenger's Tragedy, by either Tourneur or Middleton, depending on whom you ask


• Richard III, Hamlet, Titus Andronicus, by W. Shakespeare

Hamlet and Titus Andronicus get their own chapters; the others are in the smorgasbord chapter.

Despite my general state of fed-upped-ness with the dissertation, I still love my topic and am capable of babbling about it for hours on end. I think this is a sign that I chose my topic well.

[There are also a chapter on Seneca (wearing his playwright's hat rather than his philosopher's fez) and a chapter on contemporary accounts of hauntings (1643 to 1683, so actually not contemporary, but as close as I'm going to get). This addendum brought to you by heres_luck, who suffered for my, um, art.]

Comments

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

Go, go, English lit majors!

And good luck with your dissertation -- it sounds fascinating. I was strongly considering going on for my Ph.D. and focusing on English Renaissance plays. I still have most of your list in my collection of "books from college I can never give up."

[heresluck]

You left out the Seneca! Dude, I *read* that chapter -- no leaving it out!

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Believe it or not, I forgot about the Seneca. I was looking at this post last night and worrying because it seemed like the dissertation was too short.

I feel much better now.

[rysmiel.livejournal.com]

by George Chapman (the Chapman of "On Looking into Chapman's Homer," in case you were wondering)

*sound of small bell going ting!*

You have just reminded me that I still haven't got round to writing "On First Looking Into Graham Chapman's Homer". Thank you.

yes, it's truly a good sign!

[rutemple.livejournal.com]

Despite my general state of fed-upped-ness with the dissertation, I still love my topic and am capable of babbling about it for hours on end. I think this is a sign that I chose my topic well.

a splendid sign of well-chosen topic to work with. Thanks for the quick encapsulation!