Shakespeare's sonnets are the greatest single work of lyric poetry in English, as passionate and daring as any love poems we may ever encounter, and yet, they are often misunderstood. Ideas of Order: A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Sonnets reveals an underlying structure within the 154 poems that illuminates the entire work, and provides a guide―for first-time readers as well as scholars―that inspires a new understanding of this complex masterpiece. Elizabethan scholar and former Harvard University president Neil L. Rudenstine makes a compelling case for the existence of a dramatic arc within the work through an expert interpretation of distinct groups of sonnets in relationship to one another. The sonnets show us a poet in turmoil whose love for a young man―who returns his affections―is utterly transformative, binding him in such an irresistible way that it survives a number of infidelities. And the poet and the young man are drawn in to a cycle of lust and betrayal by a "dark lady," a woman with the "power to make love groan." Rudenstine's reading unveils the relationship between major groups of poems: the expressions of love, the transgressions, the longings, the jealousies, and the reconciliations. This critical analysis is accompanied by the text of all of Shakespeare's sonnets. Accessible and thought-provoking, Ideas of Order is an invaluable companion to this cornerstone of literature.

Ideas of Order: A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Sonnets

Literature & Fiction

Rudenstine, Neil L.

History & Criticism

Farrar. Straus and Giroux

An approachable and indispensable guide to Shakespeare's sonnets Shakespeare's sonnets are the greatest single work of lyric poetry in English, as passionate and daring as any love poems we may ever encounter, and yet they are often misunderstood. Ideas of Order: A Close Reading of Shakespeare's Sonnets reveals an underlying structure within the 154 poems that illuminates the entire work, and provides a guide―for first-time readers as well as scholars―that inspires a new understanding of this complex masterpiece. The Elizabethan scholar and former president of Harvard University Neil L. Rudenstine makes a compelling case for the existence of a dramatic arc within the work through an expert interpretation of distinct groups of sonnets in relation to one another. The sonnets show us a poet in turmoil whose love for a young man―who returns his affections―is utterly transformative, binding him in such an irresistible way that it survives a number of infidelities. And the poet and the young man are drawn into a cycle of lust and betrayal by a "dark lady," a woman with the "power to make love groan." Rudenstine's reading unveils the relationship between major groups of poems: the expressions of love, the transgressions, the longings, the jealousies, and the reconciliations. This critical analysis is accompanied by the text of all of Shakespeare's sonnets. Accessible and thought-provoking, Ideas of Order is an invaluable companion to this cornerstone of literature.

As president of Harvard University, Neil Rudenstine has enjoyed a unique perspective on the state of higher learning, while exerting a significant influence on its recent and future course. Published to commemorate his decade-long tenure, this selection of Rudenstine's talks and writings illuminates many of the ideas and issues that animate higher education today. 
 In a collection of more than fifty speeches and writings, Rudenstine eloquently explores topics both timely and timeless, from the educational importance of diversity to the enduring value of the humanities; from the teaching potential of new technologies to the profound benefits of basic research; from developments in the professions and public service to the singular power of education to transform lives. 
 Specially designed and printed in a limited edition, Pointing Our Thoughts features a foreword by Hanna Holborn Gray, President Emeritus of the University of Chicago and a member of the Harvard Corporation. As Gray remarks, "To read [Rudenstine's] thoughtful and beautifully crafted speeches is to hear the voice of a teacher deeply committed to the vocation of opening minds to reflection and insight, listening intensely to his colleagues and entering with them into a continuing process of intellectual dialogue, sharing the convictions and perplexities of the search for understanding." This volume is testament to that commitment. It represents an invaluable addition to the literature on higher education in America and around the world.

Pointing Our Thoughts: Reflections on Harvard and Higher Education, 1991–2001, with a Foreword by Hanna Holborn Gray

History

Americas

Harvard University

Sidney's Poetic Development

Harvard University Press

What percentage of graduate students entering PhD programs in the arts and sciences at leading universities actually complete their studies? How do completion rates vary by field of study, scale of graduate program, and type of financial support provided to students? Has the increasing reliance on Teaching Assistantships affected completion rates and time-to-degree? How successful have national fellowship programs been in encouraging students to finish their studies in reasonably short periods of time? What have been the effects of curricular developments and shifts in the state of the job market? How has the overall "system" of graduate education been affected by the expansion of the 1960s and the subsequent contraction in enrollments and degrees conferred? Is there "excess capacity" in the system at the present time? This major study seeks to answer fundamental questions of this kind. It is based on an exhaustive analysis of an unparalleled data set consisting of the experiences in graduate school of more than 35,000 students who entered programs in English, history, political science, economics, mathematics, and physics at ten leading universities between 1962 and 1986. In addition, new information has been obtained on the graduate student careers of more than 13,000 winners of prestigious national fellowships such as the Woodrow Wilson and the Danforth. It is the combination of these original data sets with other sources of national data that permits fresh insights into the processes and outcomes of graduate education. The authors conclude that opportunities to achieve significant improvements in the organization and functioning of graduate programs exist--especially in the humanities and related social sciences--and the final part of the book contains their policy recommendations. This will be the standard reference on graduate education for years to come, and it should be read and studied by everyone concerned with the future of graduate education in the United States.
Originally published in 1992.
The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

In Pursuit of the Ph.D

Education & Teaching

Bowen, William G.

Higher & Continuing Education

Princeton University Press

In Pursuit of the PhD (The William G. Bowen Series)

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

The House of Barnes: The Man, The Collection, The Controversy is a beautifully written study of the extraordinary art collector and volatile personality Albert C. Barnes. The book places him in the context of his own era, shedding new light on the ideas and movements (about art collecting, education, and aesthetics) that shaped so much of his thinking. The Barnes' major holdings of largely post-impressionist art include more than 800 paintings, with a strong focus on Renoir (181 canvases), Cézanne (69), Matisse (59), and Picasso (46 paintings and drawings). In its entirety, it is the greatest single collection of such art that has remained intact. The last chapters of the book address the controversial events surrounding the Barnes Foundation s move to Philadelphia, including vehement opposition as well as strong support. There is an analysis of the Foundation's financial plight, a review of the major court cases over the decades, and a characterization of the fervent reactions following the court's decision to allow the move to take place. The monograph is recommended for a broad audience, including those interested in art and art collecting, the role of art in education, and the development of cultural institutions.

The House of Barnes: The Man, the Collection, the Controversy. Memoirs, American Philosophical Society (Vol. 266) (Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society)

Arts & Photography

The American Philosophical Society Press

"House of Barnes: The Man, the Collection, the Controversy" (Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 33)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Rudenstine, Neil L.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Rudenstine, Neil L.