Afterword 2002

This book has intended to stimulate new research and to raise new questions; it is gratifying how many of those questions have received fuller answers since this book was first published in 1984, though much still remains to be done. At the same time, many areas which are largely or entirely neglected have started to receive a lot of attention. The methodological reasons for these different developments are discussed here. The first edition of this book was an attempt to unite literary and historical studies, a process that hopefully will continue to be aspired to.

This book has intended to stimulate new research and to raise new questions; it is gratifying how many of those questions have received fuller answers since this book was first published in 1984, though much still remains to be done. At the same time, many areas which are largely or entirely neglected have started to receive a lot of attention. The methodological reasons for these different developments are discussed here. The first edition of this book was an attempt to unite literary and historical studies, a process that hopefully will continue to be aspired to.