Title: Fairies, fractious women, and the old faith : fairy lore in early modern British drama and culture /
Authors: Buccola, Regina, 1969-
Publisher: Susquehanna University Press,
Year: 2006
Subjects: English drama History and criticism; Fairies in literature; Women and literature England History; Women and literature England History; English drama History and criticism; Fairy plays History and criticism.; Mythology, Celtic, in literature.; Women healers in literature.; Witchcraft in literature.; Catholics in literature.
Abstract: "Fairies, Fractious Women, and the Old Faith examines the ways in which the fairy, rebellious woman, quasi-Catholic trio repeatedly stages resistance to early modern conceptions of appropriate class and gender conduct and state-mandated religion in A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Cymbeline, All's Well That Ends Well and Ben Jonson's The Alchemist. The introduction provides an overview of widespread popular beliefs with respect to fairies - beliefs with particular relevance to the lived experience of women - and illustrates their connection to the doctrinal battles waged over religious reform in this period."--Jacket.
Contents: "The story shall be changed" : the fairy feminism of A midsummer night's dream -- "Ferry honest knaueries" in The merry wives of Windsor -- The fairy quean : Fairyland meets the fifth monarchy in Ben Jonson's The alchemist -- "Change you, madam" : social role transgressions and gender transformations in Cymbeline -- The fairy defense.