John Donne: 'Sermons Preached at the Jacobean Courts, 1619-1625' (Oxford Edition of the Sermons of John Donne, Volume II)

This project will produce an accurate and fully annotated edition of 12 Jacobean court sermons by John Donne (preached between 1619 and 1625) which will address the needs of today's scholars, undergraduates, and the general reader. It will be published as Volume II of the Oxford Edition of the Sermons of John Donne. Intended to replace the current standard edition (George Potter's and Evelyn Simpson's The Sermons of John Donne (Los Angeles & Berkeley, 1953-62)), it will be edited to the highest scholarly and bibliographical standards currently obtaining. The texts will be based on close study of early printed copies and manuscripts, and on current hard-copy and online resources relating to the processes and context through which Donne's works reached print. In line with the textual policy of the Oxford Edition, the texts will in most cases reflect the earliest version of Donne's sermons. The sermons will be grouped by place of preaching, rather than according to speculative chronology; this scheme reflects recent scholarship's judgement that preaching venue and intended auditory should be the starting place for understanding any sermon by Donne. A particularly useful feature for readers will be that, unlike Potter & Simpson's edition, which has no commentary at all, the new edition will have full explanatory annotation. This will place these works much more comprehensibly in relevant contexts, including not only Donne's life and other writings, and the wider historical situation, but also contemporary debates about theological doctrine, domestic and international politics, social institutions (such as church, state, and family), and questions concerning the ethical application of doctrine, such as the resolution of individual conscience. The notes will make it more practicable for a wide range of twenty-first-century readers to read, understand, and enjoy the work of this major writer.

The most immediate impact of the research beyond the academic community will be to create financial benefits for the publisher of the edition, and the publisher's employees, and to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of readers of the volume. Aside from scholars, teachers, and students, readers are expected to include a diverse cross-section of the general public, especially those interested in the works of John Donne, in seventeenth-century literature more broadly, and in the history, religion, and culture of the period. In October 2009, Donne ranked second behind T. S. Eliot in the BBC's 'Nation's Favourite Poet' competition, providing clear evidence of widespread public interest in Donne and his works. Such interest was stimulated in May 2009 by BBC 2's broadcast of 'Simon Schama's John Donne', a one-hour documentary on the poet's life and work. The publication of Vol. II of the Oxford Edition of the Sermons of John Donne is expected to raise this public profile yet further, prompting increased demand for existing editions of Donne's poems and prose, while also extending understanding and appreciation of the range of works produced by this major writer.

Marketing activities supporting the publication of the volume are expected to generate considerable public awareness of the availability of Donne's sermons in print. Such activities, taking place in the UK, US, and beyond, will include advertisement of the volume through the O.U.P. catalogue (print and web versions), the distribution of promotional material at book fairs and festivals, literary seminars and conferences, and sales events aimed directly at booksellers and retailers. Such publicity, culminating in distribution of the volume through major high-street bookshops and online retailers, is expected to make members of the general public significantly more aware of an important aspect of their cultural heritage, and so contribute to their knowledge and quality of life.

The edition's website will also reach beyond academic beneficiaries to offer free public access to a host of archival sources, bibliographical findings, and research papers associated with the edition. A 'News & Events' section on the website will also advertise forthcoming symposia, conferences, and publications of public interest.

Further dissemination activities will include a series of conferences involving all contributing editors of the Oxford edition, and leading public figures in Britain's cultural life. These events (see Impact Plan for details), are expected to call important attention to the ways in which Donne's work, and the edition, can offer improvements in social and intellectual capital and community identity; enhance public debates about religion and society; inform developments in performance practice; and exploit mutually-beneficial links between prominent public charities and the project. I will also work in conjunction with the general editor, and the University of Birmingham's 'Ideas Lab', to develop proposals for radio and television broadcasts to publicise the volume and edition.