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Shakespeare's objects : early modern material culture/ Catherine Richardson

Bloomsbury Collections: TxT Only 2026 Available online

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Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Richardson, Catherine (Catherine Teresa), author.
Contributor:
Bloomsbury (Firm), publisher.
Series:
Arden Shakespeare insights
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Stage history.
Shakespeare, William.
Material culture--History--16th century.
Material culture.
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616.
Theaters--Stage-setting and scenery.
Genre:
History
Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Physical Description:
1 online resource
Place of Publication:
London : The Arden Shakespeare, 2026
Summary:
"The world in which Shakespeare lived and wrote was a material one before it was a textual one – made up of people’s interactions with a wide variety of things. Shakespeare’s plays were first experienced as a rich mixture of objects, language, spaces and actors’ bodies. This accessible and fascinating book delves into the lives of 33 significant things through full-colour images and an easy-to-read analysis of their significance. Objects include beds and perfumes, doublets and torches, lutes, spurs, clocks and handkerchiefs, all explored in relation to social status, gender, race, economics and manufacture. Individually and together, they reveal the rich cultural and physical geography within which the playwright, his characters and audiences lived their lives. Shakespeare’s Objects asks who owned these things and how were they used? It considers the diverse reality of trade, exchange and conquest which meant some individuals in early modern England could encounter carpets from Turkey and China, dyes from the Americas and paper from Venice, alongside woods and fabrics from their local communities. Whether you are an actor thinking about how to use props, a student wanting to understand early modern drama, a theatrical designer considering a period setting, a museum professional wanting to understand the significance of objects in your care, or someone curious about objects from the past which are unfamiliar, you will find something useful in this essential guide to early modern things"-- Bloomsbury Collections
Contents:
Bed
Book
Carpet
Chamber
Chest/coffer/trunk
Chimney/hearth/fireplace
Clock/watch
Closet/study
Codpiece/points
Dinner/supper
Doublet
Gift
Gown
Handkerchief
Hat/cap
Hose/stockings
House
Ink
Letter
Lights/lamps/links/torches
Linen
Lute
Perfume/sweet
Picture/painting/portrait
Ship/boat/bark
Silk/satin/velvet
Spoon
Spur
Stool
Sword
Table
Tapestry/arras
Token
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index
Online resource; title from home page (Bloomsbury Collections , viewed July 27, 2026)
Other Format:
Print version: Richardson, Catherine (Catherine Teresa) Shakespeare's objects
ISBN:
9781350123601
1350123609
9781350123588
9781350123595
1350123587
1350123595
OCLC:
1520505732
Publisher Number:
CIPO000382350
Access Restriction:
Restricted for use by site license

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