Time's Purpled Masquers

Explores the extraordinary prominence of astronomical imagery in Renaissance literature. Although the stars were important astrologically, this book explains the popularity of such imagery, and the impact of astronomical discoveries, particularly their implications for stellification, or translation to the stars, is also an important factor. Alastair Fowler's fascinating study explores the extraordinary prominence of astronomical imagery in Renaissance literature. Although the stars were important astrologically, this is at best a partial explanation for the popularity of such imagery, and the impact of astronomical discoveries (particularly their implications for stellification, or translation to the stars) is also an important factor. Seventeenth-century culture was both religious and materialistic and the literature of the period shows a great variety of negotiated reconciliations of the two.