The archaeology of Shakespeare

by Wilson, Jean

"The plays of Elizabethan and Jacobean England, and Shakespeare's work in particular, are usually presented in a purely literary context; the material context is relatively neglected. Yet the setting, staging and costuming of Shakespeare's plays are not only fascinating subjects in their own right; they also illuminate aspects both of the playtext and of contemporary social and cultural history." "The Archeology of Shakespeare sets out to right this imbalance in theatre studies by systematically investigating the material evidence that bears upon the theatre and theatrical presentations of Shakespeare's day. The astounding discovery in 1989 of the foundations of the Rose theatre, followed later in the year by the uncovering of the site of Shakespeare's own Globe theatre, have transformed our knowledge of the subject. Dr. Wilson assesses the results of these investigations in relation to what is known of the other theatres of London, and supplements her findings by the study of contempo