Penury into Plenty

Penury into Plenty: Dearth and the Making of Knowledge in Early Modern England is an original examination of cultural meanings of dearth and famine in England at the turn of the sixteenth century. It focuses on the socio-economic and ecological crises of the 1590s, investigating the effects of widespread fears of famine on mundane activities and knowledge making by analyzing the remedial measures undertaken by the early modern English to illustrate their commitment to resource management. The activities, theories, and publications of the prolific ‘dearth scientist’ Sir Hugh Platt are considered alongside other forms of literature such as sermons, plays, poetry and prose fiction to explain not only what dearth or famine meant in the period, but how contemporaries understood sustainable resource management. By drawing upon environmental, economic, scientific, and literary history and theory, Penury into Plenty allows modern readers to see that sustainability is not a wholly modern concept and the investigation of cultural forms of ecological consciousness and social consequences of past environmental change is vital for understanding contemporary concerns.

'Dr Mukherjee's cross-disciplinary study extends our understanding of late-Elizabethan literary representations of dearth and the economic conditions that underpin them. In particular, her attention to the fascinating ingenuities of Hugh Platt, and contemporary georgic enterprises, offers a valuable account of the practical activities and writings of a neglected figure in the history of natural philosophy. This interesting and imaginative book should also interest eco-critics and anyone working at the interface of science and literature.' Claire Preston, Queen Mary University, UK

Ayesha Mukherjee is Lecturer in English at the University of Exeter. Her research is focused on early modern English literature and cultural history.