It has been a lot of hard work, but I have finally completed my Masters in Renaissance and C18th Literature!!
Over this summer just gone I worked on my dissertation. It is the final piece of work to hand, to complete the Masters. It was on any topic I liked (within Renaissance and C18th Literature).
I choose to focus on the presentation of Gardens in Renaissance Garden poetry of the period, (I had a few selected poems in mind). I mainly focused on Edmund Spenser's the Faerie Queene, Book 2 and 3. A large allegorical poem broken up into books. It is a hard poem to read and get your head around to be honest, but when broken down it is really a wonderfully rewarding and magical read.
Although it took up most my summer, I really enjoyed researching this topic. My research went far beyond looking at the poems and led me into some new and obscure (for me) areas of the library. I read about, land history, history of agriculture, History of Horticultural design, Fountain designs (???), history of topirary, Biblical gardens, mythical Gardens, Gardens of the mind, flower symbolism, architectual design history of garden gates......and lots more !
It was thrilling to have such freedom in what I wanted to research. When choosing my topic I was inclined to pick perhaps a more well-trodden topic, something perhaps there would be lots to read up about and perhaps sort of copy from. Choosing the Faerie Queene also was considered a brave choice as it s weighty text to get your head around.
I knew, from reading parts of the Faerie QUeen in my Undergraduate that it was something I had to one day return too. I am glad I choose the difficult topic, the difficult text and the hard way out, because it was more fulfuiling than I imaginged, doing what I WANTED to DO!
I went into my Masters not as confident about working with poetry as a novel, and despite everything decided on poetry for my final dissertation and do not regret anything one bit!
The only thing I perhaps wish, is that I had the time to visit some Renaissance Gardens, I was often looking at photos and paintings. Now I'm finished I have all the time to wander in what ever garden I please.....
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