Synopses & Reviews
Many readers today associate the early modern history play with Shakespeare. While not wishing to ignore the influence of Shakespeare, this collection of essays explores other historical drama between 1500 and 1660, covering a wide range of different formats outside the canon of 1590s history cycles. An introduction provides a survey of current criticism, including both early modern and contemporary definitions of the 'history play'. Individual essays in chronological order explore genres that perform 'history' in different ways, such as shows, moralities or closet drama. In this way this collection establishes alternative paradigms of early modern historical drama.
Synopsis
This collection establishes alternative paradigms of early modern historical drama.
Synopsis
This collection establishes alternative paradigms of early modern historical drama.
About the Author
TERESA GRANT is Associate Professor in Renaissance Theatre at the University of Warwick. BARBARA RAVELHOFER is Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Durham.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Early Modern Historical Drama: Cultural and Critical Contexts--T.Grant & B.Ravelhofer * The Early Tudor History Play--J.Dillon * Humanism and Reformation in John Bale's Biblical Histories--A.W.Taylor * May Day and Sir Thomas More--A.Kinney * 'The Person of the King': Ballads, Plays and Jack Tales--B.Griffin * Do We Know John Foxe's Henry in Rowley's When You See Me You Know Me--T.Grant * 'The Boke of Truth': The City as Source--E.Burns * Apocalypse Now: Dekker's The Whore of Babylon and the Jacobean History Play--J.Lander * Convention and Contradiction in the Turkish History Play--M.Hutchings * Closet History: The Tragic Subject of Charles I--B.Ravelhofer * Index