Theatre and humanism : English drama in the sixteenth century / Kent Cartwright.

"This book examines the hundred years of drama preceding Shakespeare in the light of a critical problem: English drama at the beginning of the sixteenth century was allegorical, didactic, and moralistic; but by the end of the century theatre was censured as emotional and even immoral. How could...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Cartwright, Kent, 1943-
Format: Book
Language:English
Published: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Subjects:
Online Access:Sample text
Table of contents
Publisher description
Description
Summary:"This book examines the hundred years of drama preceding Shakespeare in the light of a critical problem: English drama at the beginning of the sixteenth century was allegorical, didactic, and moralistic; but by the end of the century theatre was censured as emotional and even immoral. How could such a change occur? Kent Cartwright suggests that some theories of early Renaissance theatre - particularly the theory that Elizabethan plays are best seen in the tradition of morality drama - need to to be reconsidered. He proposes instead that humanist drama of the sixteenth century is theatrically exciting - rather than literary, elitist, and dull as it has often been seen - and socially significant, and he attempts to integrate popular and humanist values rather than setting them against each other. Taking as examples the plays of Marlowe, Heywood, Lyly and Greene, as well as many by lesser known dramatists, the book demonstrates the contribution of humanist drama to the theatrical vitality of the sixteenth century."--Jacket.
Physical Description:x, 321 pages ; 24 cm
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references (pages 249-312) and index.
ISBN:052164075X
9780521640756
9786610153565
6610153566
Access:Online version licensed for access by U. of T. users.