Furor Poeticus and Heavenly Muses in Early Modern English Poetry
摘要
This chapter draws heavily on primary sources to explore the enduring significance and transformation of furor poeticus in early modern English poetry. It examines how, despite a growing emphasis on poetic craft and reason, the concept of divine inspiration remained central to discussions of poetic creation. Tracing debates in both prose and poetry by authors such as Puttenham, Lodge, Sidney, and others, the chapter illustrates the continued influence of Plato, Ficino, and the French poet Du Bartas, whose ideas shaped the period’s understanding of the poet as a divinely-touched figure. It analyses how poets such as Spenser, Barnes, Breton, Constable, and Alabaster invoked the Holy Spirit and employed a variety of imagery including spiritual ascent, angelic wings, sacred fire, and angel-feathered quills to represent poetic inspiration. The conclusion is that the idea of divine frenzy underwent a complex process of adaptation: it was Christianized to align with religious sensibilities, its associated imagery was embraced to lend authority to sacred verse, and, ultimately, its conventions were even subverted through parody, as seen in Beaumont’s work. This evolution reveals the lasting power and adaptability of furor poeticus within the dynamic literary landscape of the period.