29. Other Dramatists of The Early 17th Century Flashcards
(47-48)
When was drama popular?
In the 1590’s.
What happens to drama and comedy? When?
The distinction between them gets more distinct during the 25 years of the 17th century.
How did drama and comedy change? Characterize them.
Jacobean Drama. A dark world of corruption, perversion, passion and blood. Its major figures: Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middletone, John Webster.
Comedy. It’s more localized, “city comedy” based on London and its people with their obsessions, especially for sex and money.
Who is the most important dramatist of the Caroline period? When was the Caroline period and with what even is it connected to?
It’s John Ford (even though Ben Jonson was still active).
The Caroline period comes with the accession of Charles I in 1625.
When was John Form an important dramatist?
During the Caroline period.
There was plenty of demands for the new plays. How did the playwrights react to that? What did they do with that (give at least one example)? What problem did it lead to?
Almost all playwrights in this period wrote in collaborations to keep up with the demand for new plays. For example, “Sir Thomas More” by Shakespeare. Jonson and Nashe worked on theatrical collaborations, too. This way, it’s difficult to attribute authorship to some texts.
Which work marks the pleasure in murder? What does it result in?
“The Revenger’s Tragedy” (1607) which leads to a new development in Jacobean tragedy.
What’s central for Jacobean tragedy? What’s explored?
Corruption - sexual and moral. Human weakness is explored.
What’s Middletone’s one of the censored work?
“A Game at Chess”, comedy which got censored because it risked causing offence by satirizing the Spanish in a religious/political context.
What does censorship reflect?
Anxieties for the stability of the state at a time of political uncertainties.
What’s John Webster’s important work? Why?
“The White Devil” - tragedy of blood, lust, intrigue to new heights with shocking themes, vivid language, which characterizes Jacobean tragedy.
What was the reason for the use of such topics as violence and corruption during the Jacobean period?
To show concerns.
