Gender, theatre, and the origins of criticism
Subtitle: from Dryden to Manley
By: Marcie Frank.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2003
Place of publication: Cambridge, UK; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 175
Subjects: Manley, -- Mrs. -- 1663-1724 -- Knowledge -- Literature.; Dryden, John, -- 1631-1700 -- Knowledge -- Literature.; Dryden, John, -- 1631-1700 -- Influence.; Criticism -- Great Britain -- History -- 18th century.; English literature -- History and criticism -- Theory, etc.; Criticism -- Great Britain -- History -- 17th century.; English drama -- History and criticism -- Theory, etc.; Sex role in literature.; Sex in literature.
Description: "In Gender, Theatre and the Origins of Criticism, Marcie Frank explores the theoretical and literary legacy of John Dryden to a number of prominent women writers of the time. Frank examines the pre-eminence of gender, sexuality and the theatre in Dryden's critical texts that are predominantly rewritings of the work of his own literary precursors - Ben Jonson, Shakespeare and Milton.

She proposes that Dryden develops a native literary tradition that is passed on as an inheritance to his heirs - Aphra Behn, Catharine Trotter, and Delarivier Manley - as well as their male contemporaries. Frank describes the development of criticism in the transition from a court-sponsored theatrical culture to one oriented towards a consuming public, with very different attitudes to gender and sexuality.

This study also sets out to trace the historical origins of certain aspects of current criticism - the practices of paraphrase, critical self-consciousness and performativity."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 140-172) and index.