The origin and the development of scholarly editing: a comparative study of ballad editing and Shakespeare editing in the eighteenth century

Mihara, Minoru (2006). The origin and the development of scholarly editing: a comparative study of ballad editing and Shakespeare editing in the eighteenth century. University of Birmingham. M.Phil.

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Abstract

Thomas Percy created the unprecedented ballad collection, Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, all the five editions of which were published in 1765, 1767, 1775, 1794 and
1812 respectively. Edmond Malone's edition of Shakespeare (1790) constructed the model of the succeeding scholarly editions. Malone's editorial impact was also reflected in Percy's Reliques, crossing a line of literary genre between balladry and Shakespeareana. What this thesis centres on is how Malone's editorial principle influenced the fourth edition of the Reliques, more faithful to a source book of the Reliques, his Folio MS than the earlier editions. This respect for an original document resulted from the new trend in eighteenth-century editing that Malone reinforced. From the viewpoint of the study of Percy's Reliques, this thesis considers how significant the fresh tendency is in the history of scholarly editing. In order to have sound grasp of the editorial development supported by Malone, it discusses the eighteenth-century historical criticism, involving comparison of the Reliques with its contemporary Shakespeare editions, published by Edward Capell, George Steevens and others.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Phil.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Phil.

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