Chaucer was a class traitor Shakespeare hated the mob Donne sold out a bit later Sidney was a nob.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Historic literary figures often had complex relationships with social class, sometimes opposing or serving their own backgrounds.
- In plain terms
- Famous writers had different attitudes toward the people they were born to represent.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize that authors can have varied loyalties regarding social class.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who does a writer represent?
- Can art transcend class?
Another view
Not all writers fit neatly into these class categories.
More from Terry Eagleton
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