Title: Gender, theatre, and the origins of criticism
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.
Subjects: Criticism, English drama, English literature, History, History and criticism, Influence, Knowledge, Literature, Sex in literature, Sex role in literature, Theory, Dryden, john, 1631-1700, Criticism, great britain, English literature, history and criticism
Places: Great Britain
People: John Dryden (1631-1700), Manley Mrs. (1663-1724)
Time periods: 17th century, 18th century