Renaissance drama and contemporary literary theory / Andy Mousley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mousley, Andy, 1959-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English drama--Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600--History and criticism--Theory, etc.

English drama.

English drama--17th century--History and criticism--Theory, etc.

Criticism--History--20th century.

Criticism.

History.

Renaissance--England.

Renaissance.

England.

Physical Description:

viii, 244 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : St. Martin's Press, 2000.

Summary:

Unlike other introductions to literary theory, this distinctive book offers a sustained discussion of a specific period of English literature. Avoiding the danger of employing theories as templates, the author uses Renaissance drama and contemporary theory to question and illuminate each other. It provides a comprehensive account of key modern literary theories and presents detailed applications of them to a wide range of Renaissance plays. It also offers a new way of thinking about the relationship of modern literary theory to its main predecessor, humanism. Finally, it writes a history, which Renaissance drama and modern theory are seen as sharing, of the antagonisms and attempted reconciliations between signs and psyche, objects and subjects, history and self, and language and the human.

Contents:

1 Semiotics - Tamburlaine; The Knight of the Burning Pestle; Othello 13

2 Structuralism - King Lear; The Duchess of Malfi; Hamlet; The Spanish Tragedy 42

3 Poststructuralism - A Midsummer Night's Dream; Hamlet; The Alchemist 74

4 Psychoanalysis - Bartholmew Fair; 'Tis Pity She's a Whore 105

5 Historicism - The White Devil; As You Like It; Henry V 132

6 Feminism - The Duchess of Malfi; The Roaring Girl 161

7 Marxism - The Shoemakers' Holiday; Macbeth 192.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 232-237) and index.

ISBN:

0312231733

0312231741

OCLC:

42786228