Gathered for the first time in this unique volume are plays and documents suggesting that, contrary to traditional thinking, women participated in the theatrical culture of the English Renaissance--as authors, translators, performers, spectators, and even as part-owners of theaters. "Renaissance Drama by Women" includes 4 full length plays--"Love's Victory, The Concealed Fancies, The Tragedy of Marion, " and "The Tragedy of Antonie"--along with a fragment of a translation from Seneca by Queen Elizabeth I, an occasional masque written for performance by a ladies' school before Queen Anne, and a collection of historical documents illustration many fascinating ways that women participated in a range of theatrical activity between the 1570s and 1660.

This study of women in Arthurian literature covers writings from the medieval period, the Renaissance, the Victorian age and in contemporary fiction. Examining the key Arthurian texts, such as Chaucer's "Wife of Bath's Tale", "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", Malory's "Morte D'arthur", Spenser's "The Faerie Queene" and Tennyson's "Idylls", it also investigates the less well-known works by women: Lady Charlotte Guest's "Mabinogion", Julia Margaret Cameron's illustration to Tennyson's works, and the Arthurian women writers of the 20th century.

This invaluable guide offers readers an accessible and imaginative approach to the literature of early modern Britain. Exploring the poetry, drama, and prose of the period, Marion Wynne-Davies combines theory and practice, providing a helpful introduction to key theoretical concepts and close readings of individual texts by both canonical and less well-known authors. Amongst other things, Wynne-Davies discusses 16th and 17th century poetry in its political and cultural contexts, considers Renaissance drama in terms of performance space, and uses the early modern map to explain the prose works of writers such as Bunyan and Cavendish.

Over the last twenty five years, scholarship on Early Modern women writers has produced editions and criticisms, both on various groups and individual authors. The work on Mary Wroth has been particularly impressive at integrating her poetry, prose and drama into the canon. This in turn has led to comparative studies that link Wroth to a number of male and female writers, including of course, William Shakespeare. At the same time no single volume has attempted a comprehensive comparative analysis. This book sets out to explore the ways in which Wroth negotiated the discourses that are embedded in the Shakespearean canon in order to develop an understanding of her oeuvre based, not on influence and imitation, but on difference, originality and innovation.

Marion Wynne-Davies' detailed feminist reading of "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale" and "The Clerk's Prologue and Tale" is the first edition to address the social and cultural context of these poems' production. Her analysis of the original manuscripts of the tales, and of the questions raised about gender and cultural history, is accessible and illuminating. With glosses on the page and a bibliography to assist with further reading, this edition may be an essential study aid for all students of Chaucer, whether familiar with the poems or coming to them for the first time.

Over the last twenty five years, scholarship on Early Modern women writers has produced editions and criticisms, both on various groups and individual authors. The work on Mary Wroth has been particularly impressive at integrating her poetry, prose and drama into the canon. This in turn has led to comparative studies that link Wroth to a number of male and female writers, including of course, William Shakespeare. At the same time no single volume has attempted a comprehensive comparative analysis. This book sets out to explore the ways in which Wroth negotiated the discourses that are embedded in the Shakespearean canon in order to develop an understanding of her oeuvre based, not on influence and imitation, but on difference, originality and innovation.

Readings in Renaissance Women's Drama is the most complete sourcebook for the study of this growing area of inquiry. It brings together, for the first time, a collection of the key critical commentaries and historical essays - both classic and contemporary - on Renaissance women's drama. Specifically designed to provide a comprehensive overview for students, teachers and scholars, this collection combines:
* this century's key critical essays on drama by early modern women by early critics such as Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot
* specially-commissioned new essays by some of today's important feminist critics
* a preface and introduction explaining this selection and contexts of the materials
* a bibliography of secondary sources
Playwrights covered include Joanna Lumley, Elizabeth Cary, Mary Sidney, Mary Wroth and the Cavendish sisters.

The first feminist edition of these two tales. Wynne-Davies addresses the social and cultural context of the poems' production in a critical commentary to the texts. Also includes a line by line gloss and a historical introduction.

Renaissance Drama By Women is a unique volume of plays and documents. For the first time, it demonstrates the wide range of theatrical activity in which women were involved during the Renaissance period. It includes full-length plays, a translated fragment by Elizabeth I, a masque, and a substantial number of historical documents. With full and up-to-date accompanying critical material, this collection of texts is an exciting and invaluable resource for use in both the classroom and research.
Special features introduced by the editors include:
* introductory material to each play
* modernized spellings
* extensive notes and annotations
* biographical essays on each playwright
* a complete bibliography
Methodically and authoritatively edited by S.P. Cerasano and Marion Wynne-Davies, Renaissance Theatre by Women is a true breakthrough for the study of women's literature and performance.

This is the first full-length study of the role of women in Arthurian literature. It covers writing from the medieval period, the Renaissance, the Victorian age and in contemporary fiction. Covering the key Arthurian texts, such as Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Malory's Morte D'arthur, Spenser's The Faerie Queene and Tennyson's Idylls, it also investigates the less well-known works by women: Lady Charlotte Guest's Mabinogion, Julia Margaret Cameron's illustration to Tennyson's works and, finally, the Arthurian women writers of the twentieth century.

This book traces the chronological development of Atwood’s global reputation from Canadian nationhood to world-wide politics and from the role of women to gender identity. Chapters offer a comprehensive overview of her poetry, novels, shorter fiction, children’s books, criticism and experimental multi-genre work. There are more detailed analyses of Atwood’s most influential writing, from her first novels such as Surfacing and The Edible Woman, through the works that ensured her international reputation such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye and The Robber Bride, to her most recent work, Alias Grace and Oryx and Crake. Wynne-Davies presents these works through an overall understanding of Atwood’s intelligence, humour, linguistic dexterity, breadth of vision and ethical integrity.