Letter Writing in Early Modern Culture 1500-1750, Journal of Early Modern Studies, 3 ISSN 2279-7149

Through the presentation of case studies, the volume aims at shedding light on the pivotal early modern period when the culture of epistolarity shifted from the public to the more personal sphere and crucial functional changes occurred in both letter writing and reading practices. It brings together scholars from a wide disciplinary spectrum, working on the linguistic, literary, historical and more broadly cultural features of correspondence. It comprises a number of contributions presenting case studies on differences in letter types, on the role played by letters in self-fashioning, social networking, and knowledge distribution. Particular attention is paid to such issues as letters as paratextual material, the physical description of manuscripts and editorial practices in historical letter collections, correspondence as multifunctional interaction between real people, the construction of the epistolary/discursive identities of the addressees of letters, gender differences in conveying information or in attaining persuasive goals, and the role of letters as literary artefacts.