An embarrassment of riches

On the strictly medieval front:

The last presentation for now on Syllabus 4 of my English in the Afternoon courses took place last Thursday, when we looked at Conspicuous Consumption in the Middle Ages with particular emphasis on its dramatic effects and effects in drama (well I haven’t taught medieval drama for a while!).

I have had to beg everyone’s indulgence while I take yet another summer writing sabbatical so as to get the book on Bevis ready for publication. My thoughts on this are on my Bevis blog – Bevis of Hampton – Local Hero – so no more at this time. I felt a distinct sense of missing the work for the Thursday courses, but have promised that we shall be back again in October with Conspicuous Consumption in Shakespeare. Meanwhile Anglo-Saxon in the post-Conquest centuries is proving stimulating reading.

It should not be long now before my latest essay on The Tempest comes out in Shakespeare Survey, and I am also looking forward now to seeing the new production of Everyman. I foresee an interesting summer!

As far as Tolkien research is concerned, with my essay on Tolkien’s botanical semiotics now published in the Inklings Journal, I have just heard from another journal that they are prepared to accept my new article on Tolkien’s poetry. I was invited by the journal to respond to another writer’s work, but my own essay was naturally subject to the usual peer review. I had some reservations about it, but the reviewers have been very helpful and their recommendations for revision are very detailed and entirely acceptable. I am always grateful to reviewers/readers because their observations help refine one’s thoughts. Or maybe I’m fortunate not to have had anyone who was really savage – yet! It’s a good reason to reread R.G. Collingwood, and I have ordered my own copy of Owen Barfield’s Poetic Diction this time so I can make marginal notes. Much more efficient.

Meanwhile, I am hoping that the Return of the Ring Proceedings that I edited last summer will make it to publication this year without my further intervention, although currently the edited documents seem to be in limbo.

Revised plans for this year

With short deadlines in all directions, I have had to revise my plans for the running of my courses, and while March remains unchanged, I have had to change the structure of Conspicuous Consumption. There will now be only 1 meeting in April and 1 in May, after which I have to take a writing sabbatical until the autumn when I intend to pick up the rest of the Conspicuous Consumption course. It will still run as 1 meeting per month, but all topics will be covered.

I am happy to say, however, that my article for Shakespeare Survey: ‘This insubstantial pageant faded: The Drama of Semiotic Anxiety in The Tempest’  is in the final stages of pre-publication.

I am also happy to say that my article on Tolkien’s use of plants in his works has been accepted by The Journal of Inklings Studies and is about to be fast-tracked into the April issue.

Progress on the book about Bevis and Southampton is slow but steady and throwing up some very interesting matters for further consideration. I am now updating my Bevis blog on a weekly basis.