This collection of essays challenges preconceptions about Marlowe by tackling major aspects of his dramaturgy, his use of magic, the homoeroticism of the plays, his female characters, twentieth-century performances of his plays, and the radical nature of his narrative poem Hero and Leander. Taking nothing on trust, the authors review what is known about Marlowe's life and plays, conditions in Elizabethan theater, and his reputation among his contemporaries and among late-twentieth-century critics. Together they contribute to the critical effort to construct a fuller understanding of the poet...

This collection of essays challenges preconceptions about Marlowe by tackling major aspects of his dramaturgy, his use of magic, the homoeroticism of the plays, his female characters, twentieth-century performances of his plays, and the radical nature of his narrative poem Hero and Leander. Taking nothing on trust, the authors review what is known about Marlowe's life and plays, conditions in Elizabethan theater, and his reputation among his contemporaries and among late-twentieth-century critics. Together they contribute to the critical effort to construct a fuller understanding of the poet...

In 1695, with the expiry of the licensing act, state censorship of the press ceased. The end of the licensing system coincided almost exactly with the passing of the triennial act, and from the outset there was a discernable connection between electoral activity and the rise of a virulent political press. This study seeks to explain why press regulations were not reimposed to curb the invective of the party writers; and concludes that the principal reason was the development of government propaganda and counter-propaganda agencies under the direction of Robert Harley. Contemporaries were...