Philosophical literature in early modern England

This dissertation examines the philosophical work of early modern English literature, resuscitating a contemporary notion of the poet as a unique kind of moral philosopher. I argue that literature's contribution to a philosophical understanding of moral life has been overlooked because of a long-standing critical distinction between philosophical and aesthetic value. Consequently, modern criticism has misunderstood the early modern aspiration for a philosophical literature, while failing to appreciate the ways in which the best literary texts deliver on those promises. I correct these misconceptions by first reassessing Sidney's theory of literature in his influential "Defence of Poesy," and then by analyzing philosophical literature across the representative genres of poetry (Spenser's "The Faerie Queene"), drama (Shakespeare's "Macbeth"), and prose (Greene's "A Notable Discovery of Cozenage"). This dissertation offers a contribution both to early modern studies and the growing body of work at the intersection of philosophy and literature.