In the early seventeenth century; the London stage often portrayed a ruler covertly spying on his subjects. Traditionally deemed Jacobean disguised ruler plays; these works include Shakespeares Measure for Measure; Marstons The Malcontent and The Fawn; Middletons The Phoenix; and Sharphams The Fleer. Commonly dated to the arrival of James I; these plays are typically viewed as synchronic commentaries on the Jacobean regime. Kevin A. Quarmby demonstrates that the disguised ruler motif actually evolved in the 1580s. It emerged from medieval folklore and balladry; Tudor Chronicle history and European tragicomedy. Familiar on the Elizabethan stage; these incognito rulers initially offered light-hearted; romantic entertainment; only to suffer a sinister transformation as England awaited its ageing queens demise. The disguised royal had become a dangerously voyeuristic political entity by the time James assumed the throne. Traditional critical perspectives also disregard contemporary theatrical competition. Market demands shaped the repertories. Rivalry among playing companies guaranteed the motifs ongoing vitality. The disguised rulers presence in a play reassured audiences; it also facilitated a subversive exploration of contemporary social and political issues. Gradually; the disguised rulers dramatic currency faded; but the figure remained vibrant as an object of parody until the playhouses closed in the 1640s.
#2457020 in eBooks 2010-05-06 2016-03-31File Name: B01DO20FQO
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