Shakespeare's Heroical Histories : [i]Henry VI[/i] and Its Literary Tradition

Departing from the common assumption that Henry VI represents Shakespeare’s “apprentice work” in Providential history, David Riggs argues that the early trilogy embodies an extended treatment of ethical topics that originated in classical rhetoric and historiography, received a large emphasis in the Tudor grammar-school curriculum, and eventually determined the format of the heroical-historical drama that begins with Marlowe’s Tamburlaine. The author first establishes the rhetorical conventions and humanistic traditions that were instrumental in the formation of the Elizabethan history play. He provides a new account of the rise of this genre, arguing that the rhetorical framework, with its emphasis on “parentage” and “deeds” as determinants of social value, promoted a transition from the heroical romance to an essentially political drama about contemporary English history. Both Marlowe and Shakespeare, he maintains, used the history play to present the Elizabethan audience with fundamental questions about its social institutions. Preface Contents 1 Premises of Heroical-Historical Drama, 1587-1592 2 The Rhetorical Basis of the Popular History 3 "Parentage" and "Deeds": The Heroic Example from Tamburlaine to Richard III 4 The Hero in History: A Reading of Henry VI 5 The Tradition of Fame and the Arts of Policy: Richard III and 1 Henry IV Notes Works Cited Index A Revision Of The Author's Thesis, Harvard. Bibliography: P. [179]-187.