Bodies and Their Spaces: System, Crisis and Transformation in the Early Modern Theatre (Costerus NS 156) (Costerus New Series)

Bodies and their Spaces: System, Crisis and Transformation on the Early Modern Stage explores the emergence of the distinctively modern "gender system" at the close of the early modern period. The book investigates shifts in the gendered spaces assigned to men and women in the "public" and "private" domains and their changing modes of interconnection; in concert with these social spaces it examines the emergence of biologically based notions of sex and a novel sense of individual subjectivity. These parallel and linked transformations converged in the development of a new gender system which more efficiently enforced the requirements of patriarchy under the evolving economic conditions of merchant capitalism. These changes can be seen to be rehearsed, contested and debated in literary artefacts of the early modern period – in particular the drama. This book suggests that until the closure of the English theatres in 1642, the drama not only reflected but also exacerbated the turbulence surrounding gender configurations in transition in early modern society. The book reads a wide range of dramatic and non-dramatic texts, and interprets them with the aid of the "systems theory" developed by the German sociologist Niklas Luhmann. Bodies and their Spaces: System, Crisis and Transformation in Early Modern Theatre explores the emergence of the distinctively modern “gender system” at the close of the early modern period. The book investigates shifts in the gendered spaces assigned to men and women in the “public” and “private” domains and their changing modes of interconnection; in concert with these social spaces it examines the emergence of biologically based notions of sex and a novel sense of individual subjectivity. These parallel and linked transformations converged in the development of a new gender system which more efficiently enforced the requirements of patriarchy under the evolving economic conditions of merchant capitalism. These changes can be seen to be rehearsed, contested and debated in literary artefacts of the early modern period – in particular the drama. This book suggests that until the closure of the English theatres in 1642, the drama not only reflected but also exacerbated the turbulence surrounding gender configurations in transition in early modern society. The book reads a wide range of dramatic and non-dramatic texts, and interprets them with the aid of the “systems theory” developed by the German sociologist Niklas Luhmann. CONTENTS......Page 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......Page 8 INTRODUCTION: Staging Gendered Space......Page 10 CHAPTER 1: Divide and Rule: The Early Modern Gender System and Private Space......Page 29 CHAPTER 2: The Difference that Makes a Difference: Emergent Gender Systems......Page 61 CHAPTER 3: The Observer Observed: Differentiation and the Theatrical System......Page 78 CHAPTER 4: Posing Manliness: Work and Space as Paradigms of Early Modern Masculinity......Page 93 CHAPTER 5: The Aporias of Masculinity: Systemic Interpenetration and Systemic Instability......Page 105 CHAPTER 6: Author of Himself: Masculinity, Civility and the Closure of the Body......Page 136 CHAPTER 7: Leaky Vessels: Femininity, the Humoral Economy and Systemic Boundaries......Page 154 CHAPTER 8: Women's Worlds: Women in the Public Sphere: Space, Community, Language......Page 173 CHAPTER 9: Redrawing the Boundaries: Emergent Gender Spaces on the Stage......Page 197 CONCLUSION: The Alteration in Apparel: Cross-Dressing and the Emergent Gender System......Page 216 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 236 C......Page 255 E......Page 256 H......Page 257 M......Page 258 S......Page 259 W......Page 261 Y......Page 262 Introduction : Staging Gendered Space -- Ch. 1. Divide And Rule : The Early Modern Gender System And Private Space -- Ch. 2. The Difference That Makes A Difference : Emergent Gender Systems -- Ch. 3. The Observer Observed : Differentiation And The Theatrical System -- Ch. 4. Posing Manliness : Work And Space As Paradigms Of Early Modern Masculinity -- Ch. 5. The Aporias Of Masculinity : Systemic Interpenetration And Systemic Instability -- Ch. 6. Author Of Himself : Masculinity, Civility And The Closure Of The Body -- Ch. 7. Leaky Vessels : Femininity, The Humoral Economy And Systemic Boundaries -- Ch. 8. Women's Worlds : Women In The Public Sphere : Space, Community, Language -- Ch. 9. Redrawing The Boundaries : Emergent Gender Spaces On The Stage -- Conclusion : The Alteration In Apparel : Cross-dressing And The Emergent Gender System. [russell West-pavlolv]. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [227]-245) And Index. The author explores the emergence of the distinctively modern "gender system" at the close of the early modern period. The book investigates shifts in the gendered spaces assigned to men and women in the "public" and "private" domains and their changing modes of interconnection; in concert with these social spaces it examines the emergence of biologically based notions of sex and a novel sense of individual subjectivity. These parallel and linked transformations converged in the development of a new gender system which more efficiently enforced the requirements of patriarchy under the evolving economic conditions of merchant capitalism The moment of transition between the early modern period and what we can identify as the beginning of our own modern epoch in many respects mirrors the contemporary age.