Inventing the Critic in Renaissance England

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The book explores the pivotal role of English critics at the turn of the seventeenth century, highlighting how figures like Philip Sidney, George Puttenham, and Ben Jonson established foundational works in rhetoric and poetics. It examines their complex relationship with the concept of criticism, revealing their fears of misunderstanding and marginalization. William Russell argues that these critics actively shaped their own practices, influenced by various social and intellectual dynamics, rather than merely adopting ideas from classical or Continental traditions.