Materializing the East in Early Modern English Drama

The representation of the East in early modern drama has been overlooked, marginalized, or stereotyped. Materializing the East in Early Modern English Drama re-examines the (mis)representation of the East on the early modern English outdoor and indoor stage and broadens our understanding of early modern theatrical productions beyond Shakespeare and the European continent. It traces the origin of conventional depictions of the East to university dramas and explores how they influenced the commercial stage. Chapters uncover how conflicting representations of the East were communicated on stage through the material aspects of stage architecture, costumes, and performance effects. The collection emphasizes these material aspects of dramatic performances and showcases neglected plays, including George Salternes Tomumbeius, Robert Greene's The Historie of Orlando Furioso, and Joseph Simons Leo the Armenian, in conversation with William Shakespeare's The Tempest and John Fletcher's The Island Princess.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 09 March 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Despite the widespread popularity of plays about the East in early modern drama, the representation of the East has often been overlooked, marginalized as mere footnotes, or reduced to stereotypes. Materializing the East in Early Modern English Drama delves into the intricate and multifaceted perceptions of the East and how dramatic works utilized their distinct theatrical spaces to convey the concept of the East. This volume re-evaluates the (mis)representation of the East on the early modern English outdoor and indoor stage, expanding our understanding of early modern theatrical productions beyond Shakespeare and the European continent. It traces the origins of conventional depictions of the East to university dramas and explores how they influenced the commercial stage. Chapters unveil how conflicting representations of the East were communicated on stage through the material aspects of stage architecture, costumes, and performance effects. The collection emphasizes these material aspects of dramatic performances and showcases neglected plays, including George Salternes Tomumbeius, Robert Greene's The Historie of Orlando Furioso, and Joseph Simons' Leo the Armenian. These plays are brought into conversation with William Shakespeare's The Tempest and John Fletcher's The Island Princess, highlighting the ways in which they contribute to our understanding of the East in early modern drama.

Weight: 460g
Dimension: 145 x 224 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350300453