Author Description
This Text Explores How The Reformation's Transformation Of Religious Belief Into A Political Statement And The Saturation Of The National Past With Religious Implications (created By The Political Developments Of The 1530s) Was Reflected In 16th-century English Historiography And Historical Drama. I. Chronicles Of Reform. Fabyan's Chronicle: Reading And Religion Reformed -- More's Richard Iii: Recession And Reformation -- Cooper And Crowley: Continuation And Controversy -- Grafton And Stow: Schism And Antagonism -- Versions Of Henry V: The Gravity Of Foxe -- Ii. Divinity And State On Stage. Reformation And Riposte: Kynge Johan And Respublica -- Sanctified Monarchs: The Massacre At Paris, Edward Iii, When You See Me You Know Me, And 1 And 2 If You Know Not Me -- Martyred Subjects: Woodstock, The Booke Of Sir Thomas Moore, 1 And 2 Edward Iv, And The Life And Death Of The Lord Cromwell -- Iii. Divinity, State, And Shakespeare. Shakespearean Apocalypse: 1-3 Henry Vi -- Three Experiments With The Shape Of Time: Richard Iii, King John, And Richard Ii -- The History Play Reformed: 1 And 2 Henry Iv And Henry V -- Iv. Conclusion. Riposte As Corroboration: 1 And 2 Robert Earle Of Huntington And 1 Sir John Oldcastle. David Womersley. Bibliographic Level Mode Of Issuance: Monograph Includes Bibliographical References (p. [382]-398) And Index.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This text investigates how the religious and political upheavals of the 1530s Reformation fundamentally altered the construction of English history and the thematic focus of 16th-century historical drama. David Womersley, a scholar of early modern literature, utilizes a rigorous analysis of chronicles, plays, and political pamphlets to demonstrate how the transformation of religious belief into a state-sanctioned political identity permeated the cultural output of the era. The work argues that the saturation of the national past with religious implications created a new framework for understanding the relationship between the monarch, the church, and the subject.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of 16th-century English historiography including Fabyan, More, Cooper, and Stow.
- Examination of Reformation-era drama such as Kynge Johan and The Massacre at Paris.
- Detailed study of Shakespearean history plays including the Henry VI and Henry IV cycles.
- Exploration of the intersection between martyrology and political legitimacy.
Scope Limits
- The study does not provide a comprehensive history of the Reformation itself, focusing instead on its literary and historiographical reception.
- It does not cover non-English European historical drama or continental historiographical traditions.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and historians frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the study of early modern political culture and the evolution of the English history play. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong familiarity with 16th-century religious and political history to fully appreciate the author's arguments.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
1900-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191719617
ISBN-13:
9780191719615
History
Race and Religion
HISTORY Historiography
Reformation
Historiography
English literature
In literature
Church History
Literary Criticism