The Typographic Imaginary in Early Modern English Literature: A Conversation with Rachel Stenner (In-Person and online. 20th February 2024)

In this interactive conversation with Rachel Stenner, we will explore interplay between the printing press and literary works. Drawing upon her concept of the Typographical Imaginary we will explore how writers imaginatively and self-consciously explored the materiality of the book. Her innovative perspective highlights the way writers during the late medieval and early modern periods utilized imaginative portrayals of the print trade to dissect their evolving media landscape and comment upon it.

Stenner’s work can be seen as integrating Book History and literary studies. While Book History often delves into the material aspects of books, and literary studies examines their rhetorical and literary impact, Stenner’s research focuses on how the physicality of the book becomes intertwined with the fabric of literary texts. Her exploration delves into the self-conscious examination of “the book” within literary creations by notable authors such as Robert Copland, William Baldwin, George Gascoigne, Thomas Nashe, Edmund Spenser, John Taylor, Edward Ward, and Alexander Pope.

In her literary journey through late Medieval and early modern texts, Stenner explores anxieties stemming from the rise of the printing press and fears of social decline. Join us as we unravel the intricate threads that connect literature, technology, the materiality of the book and societal dynamics.

Rachel Stenner is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Sussex and author of the book, The Typographic Imaginary in Early Modern English Literature.

Session Lead: Bradley Tuck

In Person: Southern Belle, 3, Waterloo Street, Hove

On Zoom

Meeting ID: 899 8853 1946

Passcode: 913738

Time: 7pm Doors. 7:30pm-10pm

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