Tumblr crosspost (1 November 2020)

[anghraine]

Interesting note in the morning’s reading—Danielle Clarke’s introduction to the Penguin edition of Isabella Whitney’s, Mary Sidney’s, and Aemilia Lanyer’s poetry:

it [Mary Sidney’s translation of the Psalms] is neither a close literal translation based upon original sources, nor an entirely original undertaking. However … the Sidney Psalter is mainstream in its relationship to its sources—it is only in the post-Romantic period that literary dependence is seen as detrimental to the value of a text.

Tagged: #i get snarky 'you need to read Real Original Work' posts on my dash now and again #with the clear assumption that Real Original Work is some static inherently worthwhile category #as if the entire concepts of a) originality and b) artistic worth aren't hugely contingent on place and era #derivative work has an incredibly rich and complex history and people are either 'lalala what history' or 'that doesn't count for reasons' #anyway