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In
English Drama before Shakespeare, Peter Happe surveys the range of dramatic activity in English covering the medieval period up to 1590. The book shows that there was much continuity throughout in spite of many innovations: this is in part a challenge to the traditional divisions between medieval and Renaissance literature. Many of the plays considered are anonymous, but there is a coherent, biographical view of the work of known dramatists such as John Heywood, John Bale, and Christopher Marlowe. Considerable attention is also paid to the liturgical drama, royal entries and localised or parish drama, as well as to mystery cycles and the interludes, comedy and tragedy. The study takes account of contemporary research interests into dramatic form, performance, including some important recent revivals, dramatic sites and early theatre buildings.
List of contents
Series List Editors' Preface Abbreviations Introduction 1. Historical Continuity and Development: The Scope of Drama, 1350-1590 2. Dramatic Practice, 1350-1590 Part One: The Medieval Drama: 3. Worship, Instruction and Entertainment Liturgical Drama 4. Texts and Mystery Plays and Moralities 5. Staging 6. Dramatic Values
Part Two: Humanism, Renaissance and Reformation 7. Education and Polemic Classical Comedy and Tragedy 8. Individual Dramatists up to 1555 9. Interludes 10. Other Dramatic Forms Part Three: Professional Theatre
11. Theatre and Companies The Context of the Professional Stage: James Burbage and John Lyly 12. Kyd and Marlowe 13. Greene, Peele and Other Popular Plays, 1580-95 14 Epilogue
About the author
Peter Happe
