London Dispossessed: Literature and Social Space in the Early Modern City (Language, Discourse, Society)

In the Early Modern period, massive emigration, along with political contention between the Court and the City, reshaped London's social topography and human landscape. This book examines the spaces and identities which characterized the changing metropolis. From excursions into institutions like Bedlam, Bridewell, and the Theatre, as well as exploring the less formal places and practices of London, such as prostitution, the suburbs, and the fashion parades at St Paul's Walk, a new way of seeing the city becomes open to us. Booknews Examines changes in the social typography and human landscape of London during the early modern period and looks into factors that caused these changes, such as massive emigration and political contention between the Court and the City. Explores institutions like Bedlam, Bridewell, and the theater, as well as less formal places and practices of London, such as prostitution, the suburbs, and the fashion parades at St. Paul's Walk. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 10 Map of the City of London......Page 11 Introduction: ‘Our Scene is London’......Page 12 1 Bedlam and Bridewell in the Honest Whore Plays......Page 31 2 Prostitution and Dekker......Page 65 3 London’s Languages of Fashion......Page 103 4 Breaking Loose from Hell: Devils, Despair, and Dystopia......Page 140 Notes......Page 213 Bibliography......Page 250 Index......Page 265