Language and Politics in the Sixteenth-Century History Play (Early Modern Literature in History)

Language and Politics in the Sixteenth-Century History Play examines a key preoccupation of historical drama in the period 1538-1600: the threat presented by uncivil language. "Unlicensed" speech informs the presentation of political debate in Tudor history plays and it is also the subject of their most daring political speculations. By analysing plays by John Bale, Thomas Norton, Thomas Sackville, and Robert Greene, as well as Shakespeare, this study also argues for a more inclusive approach to the genre. Language and Politics in the Sixteenth-Century History Play presents a new reading of the form and politics of historical drama from John Bale to William Shakespeare. It argues that the genre was theatrically diverse and ideologically various and that it contributed to a debate concerning the implications of disorderly language. The book examines how history plays dramatise and use unruly speech for the purpose of political enquiry: this includes their representation of rumour, sedition, treacherous words, and corrupt counsel. It emphasizes the radical possibilities of the form and content of historical drama by focusing on a range of plays: Bale's King Johan, Norton and Sackville's Gorboduc, Robert Greene's James IV and Shakespeare's King John, Richard II, and Henry V. Shakespeare is shown both to draw upon and to extend the critical potential of the history play so popular among his contemporaries Language and Politics in the Sixteenth-Century History Play presents a new reading of the form and politics of historical drama from John Bale to William Shakespeare. It argues that the genre was theatrically diverse and ideologically various and that it contributed to a debate concerning the implications of disorderly language. The book examines how history plays dramatise and use unruly speech for the purpose of political enquiry: this includes their representation of rumour, sedition, treacherous words, and corrupt counsel. It emphasises the radical possibilities of the form and content of historical drama by focusing on a range of plays: Bale's King Johan, Norton and Sackville's Gorboduc, Robert Greene's James IV and Shakespeare's King John, Richard II and Henry V. Shakespeare is shown both to draw on and to extend the critical potential of the history play so popular among his contemporaries. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Abbreviations and Conventions......Page 11 Introduction......Page 12 1 The Paradox of Sedition in John Bale’s King Johan......Page 27 2 The Language of Counsel in Gorboduc......Page 47 3 Language, Temperance and the Nation in Robert Greene’s The Scottish History of James the Fourth......Page 69 4 Misreading History: Rumour in King John......Page 91 5 The Language of Treason in Richard II......Page 114 6 Henry V and the Reformation of the Word......Page 138 Notes......Page 163 Bibliography......Page 190 Index......Page 205 Language and Politics in the Sixteenth-Century History Play examines a key preoccupation of historical drama in the period 1538-1600: the threat presented by uncivil language. 'Unlicensed' speech informs the presentation of political debate in Tudor history plays and it is also the subject of their most daring political speculations. By analyzing plays by John Bale, Thomas Norton, Thomas Sackville, and Robert Greene, as well as Shakespeare, this study also argues for a more inclusive approach to the genre. This volume examines a key preoccupation of historical drama in the period 1538-1600 - the threat presented by uncivil language. By analysing plays by John Bale, Thomas Norton, Thomas Sackville, Robert Greene and Shakespeare, this study also argues for a more inclusive approach to the genre