Renaissance Drama

This subject introduces students to a variety of Renaissance dramatic genres (history plays, romances, comedies of humours, domestic tragedies, satire, travel plays and tragedy), and in so doing, examines issues pertaining to the occult, religion, foreignness, politics and the early modern household. It focuses on plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries not only in terms of aesthetics but of the commercial exigencies of the early modern theatrical marketplace. It develops a historically informed conception of the London stage by treating plays as marketable commodities and part of a repertory of offerings used to compete with other companies and attract playgoer patronage. Shakespeare is treated as an outstanding playwright but also as a shareholder in his own company, with a vested interest in its commercial success.