This collection of original essays on Thomas Middleton and William Rowley’s unsettling revenge tragedy The Changeling represents key new directions in criticism and research. The 13 chapters fall into six groups focusing on questions of space, theology, collaboration, disability both mental and physical, and performance both early modern and contemporary. The Changeling’s critical and theatrical history, and a selected bibliography for the volume helps readers easily find the most frequently cited materials in the volume as a whole, while individual essays detail the full expanse of critical sources to pursue for further analysis. With contributors ranging from highly regarded critics to emerging scholars drawn from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Switzerland, the collection equips readers to engage with a variety of critical approaches to the play, moving a long way beyond the last century’s tendency to treat Middleton as ‘the early modern Ibsen’, to ignore Rowley, and to focus almost wholly on a single aspect of the play’s plot. Key themes and topics include: · Performance · Space and affect · Authorial collaboration · Gender and representation · Violence · Disability

This collection of original essays on Thomas Middleton and William Rowley’s unsettling revenge tragedy The Changeling represents key new directions in criticism and research. The 13 chapters fall into six groups focusing on questions of space, theology, collaboration, disability both mental and physical, and performance both early modern and contemporary. The Changeling’s critical and theatrical history, and a selected bibliography for the volume helps readers easily find the most frequently cited materials in the volume as a whole, while individual essays detail the full expanse of critical sources to pursue for further analysis. With contributors ranging from highly regarded critics to emerging scholars drawn from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Switzerland, the collection equips readers to engage with a variety of critical approaches to the play, moving a long way beyond the last century’s tendency to treat Middleton as ‘the early modern Ibsen’, to ignore Rowley, and to focus almost wholly on a single aspect of the play’s plot. Key themes and topics include: · Performance · Space and affect · Authorial collaboration · Gender and representation · Violence · Disability

The titular Roaring Girl of Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker's comedy is Moll Cutpurse, a fictionalized version of a real person, Mary Frith, who attained legendary status in London by flouting gendered dress conventions, illegally performing onstage, and engaging in all sorts of transgressive behavior from smoking and swearing to stealing. In the course of The Roaring Girl's lively and complex plot of seduction and clever ruses, Moll shares her views on gender and sexuality, defends her own honor in a duel, and demonstrates her knowledge of London's criminal underworld. This edition of the play offers an informative introduction, thorough annotation, and a substantial selection of contextual materials related to the real Mary Frith, gender and cross-dressing, criminality in London, and more. KEY FEATURES Comprehensive introduction Informative notes and glosses Background contextual materials Competitive price