Thomas Middleton and the Plural Politics of Jacobean Drama

Authors

Mark Kaethler, Medicine Hat CollegeFollow

Files

Document Type

Monograph

Description

Thomas Middleton and the Plural Politics of Jacobean Drama represents the first sustained study of Middleton's dramatic works as responses to James I's governance. Through examining Middleton’s poiesis in relation to the political theology of Jacobean London, Kaethler explores early forms of free speech, namely parrhēsia, and rhetorical devices, such as irony and allegory, to elucidate the ways in which Middleton’s plural art exposes the limitations of the monarch’s sovereign image. By drawing upon earlier forms of dramatic intervention, James’s writings, and popular literature that blossomed during the Jacobean period, including news pamphlets, the book surveys a selection of Middleton's writings, ranging from his first extant play The Phoenix (1604) to his scandalous finale A Game at Chess (1624). In the course of this investigation, the author identifies that although Middleton’s drama spurs political awareness and questions authority, it nevertheless simultaneously promotes alternative structures of power, which manifest as misogyny and white supremacy.

Publication Date

5-2021

Publisher

Medieval Institute Publications

City

Kalamazoo

ISBN

9781501513763

Keywords

Thomas Middleton, politics, drama, theatre, governance, gender

Disciplines

Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Literature in English, British Isles | Modern Languages | Political Theory | Renaissance Studies | Theatre History

Comments

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Additional formats available:

Hardcover: 9781501518195
EPUB :9781501513992

Citation for Published Book

Kaethler, Mark. Thomas Middleton and the Plural Politics of Jacobean Drama. Kalamazoo, MI: Medieval Institute Publications, 2021.