The Bride

Rowlands, Samuel, 1570？-1630？Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 38K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Bride by Samuel RowlandsAuthor: Rowlands, Samuel, 1570?-1630?,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 1, 2005

Editor's review

This is a long narrative poem by the English Renaissance poet Samuel Rowlands, a work in the early seventeenth-century English satirical verse tradition. Centered on the figure of the bride, it offers observations and mockery of marriage, women, and social manners. Rowlands is known for his colloquial, streetwise tone, and this poem continues his characteristic blend of humor and moral admonition. It is valuable for understanding the subject matter, gender attitudes, and discourse on marriage and love in Jacobean popular poetry. As a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg, the book preserves the original language and is suitable as primary-source material for early modern English literature. It is not, however, a popular edition for general readers: the original spelling and syntax pose difficulties for modern readers, who will need notes or editorial guidance. It is best suited to literary scholars, English majors, or readers with a specific interest in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century English popular literature, for specialized study or course reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English literature students who need direct access to primary texts of early modern English poetry
Scholars of Renaissance English popular literature and satirical verse
Readers interested in seventeenth-century English attitudes toward marriage and social manners
Self-learners willing to read English originals and work through linguistic difficulties with reference tools

Not a good fit for

General readers seeking a Chinese translation or light recreational reading
Those with weak English skills and no experience reading early modern English
Readers expecting a conventional plotted novel or a complete narrative

Reading tips

Begin with background entries on Rowlands and Jacobean satirical verse in Wikipedia or a literary history, then turn to the original text.
Use comparative reading: when encountering unfamiliar spellings, read them aloud to infer pronunciation, then consult the Oxford English Dictionary for meaning.
Read the poem alongside other satirical or marriage-themed works of the period, comparing themes and rhetoric.
Focus on one stanza group at a time and summarize its gist in your own words afterward, avoiding word-for-word translation.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or poetry?

It is a long narrative poem by Samuel Rowlands, belonging to early seventeenth-century English satirical verse rather than the modern novel. It uses verse to discuss and mock the figure of the bride, and should be read with attention to poetic rhythm and rhetoric rather than with the expectation of continuous plot development.

Can readers with average English proficiency read this book?

The original uses early seventeenth-century English spelling and syntax, which differ considerably from modern English and will challenge readers of average proficiency. A solid reading ability in English is recommended, along with editorial notes, dictionaries, and literary-historical background, or an edition with modern annotation and translation.

Is this book suitable for academic research?

It can serve as primary material for research on early modern English popular literature, the satirical verse tradition, and period discourse on marriage and love. Note, however, that it is a public-domain electronic text and may lack the collation and detailed annotation of authoritative editions. It should be used alongside scholarly annotated editions or relevant secondary studies to ensure rigor in citation and interpretation.

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About the author

Rowlands, Samuel, 1570？-1630？ Author · English

Samuel Rowlands (c. 1570 – c. 1630) was an English poet and satirist of the Renaissance period. Public information about his life is limited, and his birth and death dates can only be inferred from existing records as approximately 1570 and 1630. He is known for his urban subject matter and satirical tone. His works often drew on everyday social life, depicting his contemporaries with a witty yet incisive style, and they occupy a certain place in the popular poetry and satire of his time. Two of his works are held in this collection: Humors Looking Glasse and The Bride. The former, as its title suggests, reflects his satirical attention to social manners and human nature, while the latter continues his engagement with real life. Owing to scattered historical sources, no reliable records exist concerning his teachers, education, or specific experiences, so this introduction outlines his creative profile solely on the basis of confirmed works.