Hidden Designs (Routledge Revivals)

<p>This 1986 study offers a challenging contribution to the on-going critical debate surrounding the English literary Renaissance. Although informed by the ‘new historicism’ and post-structuralism <i>Hidden Designs</i> makes a plea for criticism to be practiced in its own name rather than in the name of theory and opposes the hyper-professionalisation of literary studies in favour of the broader communal functions of criticism.</p><p>Major Renaissance authors and their recent critics are placed under ‘suspicion’ as Crewe explores the elements of ‘criminality’ inherent in the powerful interests –personal institutional political and cultural – served by the literary enterprise or channelled through it. Revisionary readings of Sidney Spenser Puttenham and Shakespeare are linked by a continuing commentary on the history and theoretical claims of Renaissance criticism. </p>