Golden Age Spain on the Jacobean Stage: John Fletcher's Reading and Writing of Cervantes & Co.

Golden Age Spanish on the Jacobean Stage challenges the notion that Jacobean dramatists' engagement with Spanish literature was limited to exploiting authors for good plots, arguing that Fletcher's engagement was more profound and integral to his dramatic achievement. It explores Fletcher's repeated use of Spanish literature, particularly Cervantes, in the context of political and cultural factors during the reign of James I, highlighting the need to think through the Spanish question to gain a fuller understanding of later English Renaissance drama.

Format: Hardback
Length: 130 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Golden Age Spanish on the Jacobean Stage challenges the prevailing belief that, while Fletcher, Massinger, and other Jacobean dramatists utilized Spanish material, English playwrights' engagement with Spanish literature was limited to exploiting Spanish authors for compelling plots. Instead, Mary Dudy proposes that Fletcher's engagement with Spanish culture was far more profound than previously acknowledged, and in fact, it played a crucial and integral role in his dramatic accomplishments. Her analysis reveals that Fletcher's familiarity with Spanish novels inspired him to explore novel approaches to tackling the central themes of his artistic endeavors. This study delves into Fletcher's frequent utilization of Golden Age Spanish literature, particularly Cervantes, within the context of the political and cultural dynamics that rendered England's relationship with Spain more intricate than ever during the reign of James I. Golden Age Spanish on the Jacobean Stage inevitably leads to the conclusion that, in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of later English Renaissance drama, we must delve into the Spanish question.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781409443803