Performing disability in medieval and early modern Britain / by Mark C. Chambers.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Chambers, Mark C. (Mark Campbell), author.

Series:

Early social performance.

Early social performance

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Disabilities in the theater--England--History--To 1500.

Disabilities in the theater.

Disabilities in the theater--England--History--16th century.

Disabilities in the theater--England--History--17th century.

English drama--To 1500--History and criticism.

English drama.

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

English drama--17th century--History and criticism.

Disabilities in literature.

People with disabilities in literature.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (viii, 190 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Leeds : Arc Humanities Press, 2024.

Biography/History:

Mark C. Chambers is Assistant Professor in the Department of English Studies at Durham University and co-editor of the Records of Early English Drama collection for County Durham

Summary:

<i>Performing Disability in Medieval and Early Modern Britain</i> is a landmark examination of performance history in the medieval and early modern era. Seeking to provide a fact-based assessment of disabled performance, this survey examines the nature and socialization of disabled performers in the medieval and early Tudor periods. Using Records of Early English Drama, literary representations, and targeted histories of disability in the medieval period, this study takes a new and welcome look at the evidence for, and the conceptualization of, 'impairment' as a performative act in the premodern era.<br><br>It features discussions on the different societal constructions pertaining to 'disability' (mental incapacity, blindness and deafness, dwarfism, gigantism, etc.), and how the evidence for such conditions was socialized through performance.<br><br>Taking an evidence-based and multidisciplinary approach to perceptions of identity and 'othering' in premodern society, this study is certain to appeal to a wide audience, including historians of theatre and performance, disability advocates and theorists, and social historians.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

List of Illustrations

Abbreviations

A Note on Transcriptions and Translations

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1. “The number of fuillis ar infinite”: Framing “Foolery” as Disability in Premodern Performance

Chapter 2. “All Fools to Christ”: The Patronage of Fools in English Monasteries

Chapter 3. Blyndharpours and Kakeharpours: Accommodating Blindness in Premodern Performance

Chapter 4. Size and Shape as Aspects of Early Performance

Chapter 5. Orthopaedic Variance as Performance

Afterword

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 18 Dec 2024).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781802701944

180270194X

OCLC:

1431976195