Barclay, Alexander - David R. Carlson (essay date April 1995)
David R. Carlson (essay date April 1995)
SOURCE: Carlson, David R. “Skelton and Barclay, Medieval and Modern.” Early Modern Literary Studies 1, no. 1 (April 1995): 2.1-17.
[In the essay below, Carlson explores the literary conflict between Barclay and John Skelton and how this antagonistic relationship signals a shift in English literary history.]
Early Tudor literature was done in distinct circles, the centres of which were not coincident, and which overlapped little: the humanist circle, around More and Erasmus; in the later decades of the reign of Henry VIII, the “new company” of courtier-poets, in Puttenham's phrase, around Wyatt; and earlier, the less well-defined group of vernacular makers, professional or nearly professional English writers, comprising John Skelton, Alexander Barclay, and Stephen Hawes.1 Within these circles, relations varied. Generally, they were amicable and supportive amongst the...
[The entire page is 4897 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
