Lyric Tactics

Ingrid Nelson is Associate Professor of English at Amherst College.

"Lyric Tactics offers a deeply observed, learned, and resonant account of Middle English lyrics that … will no doubt be a touchstone of further research on the subject for years to come." (Modern Philology) "Ingrid Nelson deftly sketches the place of the medieval English lyric in literary history and theory. … [A] cogent and enlightening book." (Renaissance Quarterly) "[A] thoughtful treatment . . . [t]he English medieval lyric has received relatively little critical attention in recent decades, and this book is a welcome addition to the existing bibliography, bringing as it does a variety of recent critical perspectives to bear on a particularly elusive body of material." (Modern Language Review) "Ingrid Nelson's Lyric Tactics is a vital and brilliant contribution to the new lyric studies. While hardly leaving behind formalist concerns, Nelson demonstrates the embeddedness of lyric form within specific cultural and institutional practices in original and eye-opening ways. The book breathes new life into Middle English lyric and sets the standard for future work in this still understudied genre." (Bruce Holsinger, University of Virginia) "The medieval lyric remains an uncodified form, an open topic demanding fresh perspectives and new tools of analysis. Ingrid Nelson accepts this challenge, shifting consideration from lyric form to lyric practice and, in the process, opening multiple new avenues of consideration. Noting that these poems are variously read and heard and spoken and sung, she offers new ways of thinking about vocality and voice. She shows herself a highly creative scavenger among fragments, partial and accidental survivals, self-thematized and unprofessional performances-crafting exemplary case studies that throw new light on medieval lyrical practice." (Paul Strohm, Columbia University) "A sophisticated, painstaking, and original book. The thoughtfulness of its readings, and the sheer intellectual zest of Lyric Tactics make a significant impact on what we have come to call 'the new medieval lyric studies.'" (Ardis Butterfield, Yale University)

• IntroductionChapter 1. The Voices of Harley 2253Chapter 2. Enchanting Songs and Rhyming Doctrine in William Herebert's HymnsChapter 3. Lyric Negotiations: Continental Forms and Troilus and CriseydeChapter 4. Form and Ethics in Handlyng Synne and the Legend of Good WomenConclusionNotesBibliographyIndexAcknowledgments