Shakespeare and the Spectacles of Strangeness: The "Tempest" and the Transformation of Renaissance Theatrical Forms (Medieval & Renaissance Literary Studies) - Hardcover

Demaray, John G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0820702846 ISBN 13: 9780820702841

Publisher: Duquesne University Press, 1998

Synopsis

Demaray (Renaissance studies, Rutgers U.) reconsiders the design, staging allusions, and symbolism of Shakespeare's late, perhaps last play in light of its contemporary historical and theatrical milieu. He argues that the playwright was not reverting to the academic structures, themes and character types of his early work, but forging a new kind of experimental drama from different theatrical traditions. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

About this title

Synopsis

The design, staging allusions and symbolism of The Tempest are here freshly reconsidered in light of the drama's historical and theatrical milieu. Demaray maintains that Shakespeare, in composing this play, was not reverting to the 'academic' dramatic structures, themes and character types of his early career, but was instead forging from different theatrical traditions a new kind of experimental drama. The Tempest, then, draws upon the European and English spectacle, pastoral, 'romance' and dramatic traditions; it emphasizes reformist open symbolism rather than the classical iconography of Ben Jonson; and it points the way to the stylized 'heroic' dramas of the Restoration with their exotic themes and staged scenic illusions. Shakespeare and the Spectacles of Strangeness pays close attention to genre, structure, and issues of printing textual scholarship. Demaray presents close studies of the First Folio printings of The Tempest and of printings of drama, masques, balets de cour, spectacle production and stage documents.

On the basis of these primary documents, Demaray is able to show the influence of the conventions of court presentations on Shakespeare's theatrical references, and to reveal new accounts of the imaginative significance of stage illusions designed by Inigo Jones in the early 1600s.

Edition details

• Publisher: Duquesne University Press
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0820702846
• ISBN 13: 9780820702841
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 220