Medieval and Early Modern Drama

English drama, exclusive of Shakespeare, from its medieval origins to the closing of the theatres in 1642. Examples of such early forms as the miracle play and the morality play will be examined, and particular attention will be paid to tragedy, tragicomedy, and satire. Playwrights studied will include figures like Marlowe, Jonson, Webster, Middleton, and Beaumont and Fletcher. Conventions of the medieval, Tudor, and Stuart stage will be discussed.