In this thought-provoking study Mardock looks at Ben Jonson's epigrams, prose, and verse satire in order to focus on Jonson's theatrical appropriations of London space both in and out of the playhouse. Through this critical analysis, the author argues that the strategies of authorial definition that Jonson pursued throughout his career as a poet and playwright were in large part determined by two intersecting factors: first, his complicated relationship with London's physical places and its institutional topography, and secondly--challenging commonplace assumptions about Jonson's anti-theatricality--the distinctly theatrical model of spatial practice that he brought to bear on his representation of the urban experience. Although much criticism has focused on Jonson's role in the emergence of modern definitions of authorship, most has focused on the material contexts of the book trade, on the politics of Jonson's patronage, or on Jonson's self-construction as a neoclassical and primarily textual poet. Mardock engages with all these considerations, but with a focus on the dramatic practices of urban space--a growing concern among scholars of early-modern drama--as a consistent factor in Jonson's authorial claims.

In this thought-provoking study Mardock looks at Ben Jonson's epigrams, prose, and verse satire in order to focus on Jonson's theatrical appropriations of London space both in and out of the playhouse. Through this critical analysis, the author argues that the strategies of authorial definition that Jonson pursued throughout his career as a poet and playwright were in large part determined by two intersecting factors: first, his complicated relationship with London's physical places and its institutional topography, and secondly--challenging commonplace assumptions about Jonson's anti-theatricality--the distinctly theatrical model of spatial practice that he brought to bear on his representation of the urban experience. Although much criticism has focused on Jonson's role in the emergence of modern definitions of authorship, most has focused on the material contexts of the book trade, on the politics of Jonson's patronage, or on Jonson's self-construction as a neoclassical and primarily textual poet. Mardock engages with all these considerations, but with a focus on the dramatic practices of urban space--a growing concern among scholars of early-modern drama--as a consistent factor in Jonson's authorial claims.

Upon opening their expensive new book in 1623, buyers of the folio collection of William Shakespeare's plays were promised The Life of Henry the Fifth. What they went on to read, however, was not a full ""life"" in the modern biographical sense. The battle of Agincourt is the play's main event; every scene leads up to or follows directly from the climax of one of England's most one-sided and famous victories. The play's ambiguous portrayal of war has spurred critical debate for centuries, and its performances have reflected shifting political and cultural views. James D. Mardock's Introduction provides an extensive discussion of Henry V's critical and stage histories and explores the play's complex relationship with other history plays (and with history itself). The appendices provide materials on the play's historical background and sources, as well as documents on contemporary warfare. Additional materials, including an annotated text of the 1600 quarto (Q1) edition, are available on the Internet Shakespeare Editions website.