Discoveries on the Early Modern Stage: Contexts and Conventions

This study explores the action of discovery as a plot device, visual motif, and thematic trope in early modern theater, considering its cultural and religious contexts. It examines how disguise-discoveries and discovery scenes relate to genre, plot structure, language, imagery, themes, and the manipulation of playgoer expectations, with strong reference to the visual arts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 12 November 2020
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This comprehensive study delves into the multifaceted role of the discovery as a plot device, visual motif, and thematic trope in early modern theater. By closely examining a selection of significant discoveries extracted from a diverse range of early modern plays, Leslie Thomson explores various interconnected fields, including theater history, literary analysis, art history, and the historical religious practices that would have shaped Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Central to the analysis is the exploration of disguise-discoveries and discovery scenes, with a particular focus on their relationship to genre, plot structure, language, imagery, themes, and the manipulation of audience expectations. Thomson draws upon a rich tapestry of visual arts references, providing an innovative perspective on the staging and interpretation of early modern drama. Additionally, an appendix addresses the challenges of staging and performing discovery scenes, offering valuable insights into the practical considerations involved in bringing these pivotal moments to life on the stage. This scholarly work is a valuable contribution to the field of theater studies, shedding light on the complex interplay between narrative, visuality, and religious beliefs in the early modern period.

This study of the action of discovery as plot device, visual motif, and thematic trope on the early modern stage considers an important and popular performance convention in its cultural and religious contexts. Through close examination of a number of discoveries taken from a wide range of early modern plays, Leslie Thomson traverses several related disciplines, including theater history, literary analysis, art history, and the history of the religious practices that would have influenced Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Taking as its primary focus the performance of disguise-discoveries and discovery scenes, the analyses include considerations of how this particular device relates to genre, plot structure, language, imagery, themes, and the manipulation of playgoer expectations. With strong reference to the visual arts, and an appendix that addresses the problem of how and where discovery scenes were performed, Thomson offers an innovative perspective on the staging and meaning of early modern drama.

This comprehensive study delves into the multifaceted role of the discovery as a plot device, visual motif, and thematic trope in early modern theater. By closely examining a selection of significant discoveries extracted from a diverse range of early modern plays, Leslie Thomson explores various interconnected fields, including theater history, literary analysis, art history, and the historical religious practices that would have shaped Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Central to the analysis is the exploration of disguise-discoveries and discovery scenes, with a particular focus on their relationship to genre, plot structure, language, imagery, themes, and the manipulation of audience expectations. Thomson draws upon a rich tapestry of visual arts references, providing an innovative perspective on the staging and interpretation of early modern drama. Additionally, an appendix addresses the challenges of staging and performing discovery scenes, offering valuable insights into the practical considerations involved in bringing these pivotal moments to life on the stage. This scholarly work is a valuable contribution to the field of theater studies, shedding light on the complex interplay between narrative, visuality, and religious beliefs in the early modern period.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108454360