Oral Traditions and Gender in Early Modern Literary Texts

Acknowledging that no narrative can now be verifiably identified as virgin oral free of literate taint, scholars of English literature assert that nevertheless there were oral practices in the early modern period, mostly associated with women. They explore such topics as the female storyteller in early modern English romance, the influence of folktales of Spenser's Busirane and Isis Church episodes, and exploiting the metaphysics of presence in Twelfth Night. Annotation 穢2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)