{"product_id":"drama-and-politics-in-the-english-civil-war-critical","title":"Drama and Politics in the English Civil War - Critical","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Drama and Politics in the English Civil War, the bottom line is clear: scholars and readers interested in 17th-century performance and political culture will find Susan Wiseman's argument stimulating and corrective. Wiseman challenges the long-standing assumption that the theaters were silent between 1640 and 1660 and makes a sustained case that drama continued in politically engaged forms. This review recommends the book for students, researchers, and thoughtful readers who want a revisionist perspective on wartime theatrical life and political expression through drama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRevisionist argument:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wiseman overturns the common belief of a theatrical gap, showing that drama persisted with varied political perspectives and purposes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFocused historical scope:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book concentrates on 1640 to 1660, which clarifies how theatrical practice adjusted during the Civil War and Interregnum.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePolitical range:\u003c\/strong\u003e The analysis traces republican to royalist strands, helping readers see drama as a site of competing political ideas rather than a single silenced tradition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClose reading of productions:\u003c\/strong\u003e The work examines forms of dramatic production and performance to draw new insights about the theater of the Civil War era.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScholarly relevance:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book engages critics and historians by reinterpreting primary materials and challenging established narratives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrama and Politics in the English Civil War is best suited to graduate students, theatre historians, and literary scholars who are researching the 17th century, political drama, or the social life of performance. It is also useful for instructors building course modules on the period and for general readers with a strong interest in British cultural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a general popular history or a broad social narrative of the Civil War without close attention to plays and performance practice may find the focus too specialized. Those wanting a richly illustrated coffee-table book should look elsewhere, as the book concentrates on argument and analysis rather than visual material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers a persuasive, evidence-based challenge to the received view of theatrical silence, which refreshes scholarship on 17th-century drama.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSituates plays and performances within a spectrum of political positions, making the material relevant to historians of politics as well as literature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear period focus (1640-1660) helps readers trace developments across the Civil War and Interregnum without losing analytic precision.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe specialized argument and scholarly tone mean the book may be dense for casual readers or those outside academic fields.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDrama and Politics in the English Civil War\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSusan Wiseman\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSubject focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTheater and political culture in 1640-1660\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScope\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAnalysis of dramatic production and performance during the Civil War era\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eArgument\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDrama continued with republican and royalist perspectives despite the 1642 ordinance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUse\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScholarly study and course teaching on 17th-century drama\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSusan Wiseman's study is a valuable corrective for readers who take the 1642 theatrical closure at face value; it reopens questions about performance, politics, and production in wartime England. For scholars and advanced students it offers strong evidence and interpretive payoff, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone revising how the Civil War shaped English drama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book argue that performances continued despite the 1642 ordinance?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; Wiseman argues that drama did not vanish but shifted into politically marked forms across the 1640-1660 period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this book suitable for undergraduate courses?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt can be used in advanced undergraduate or graduate seminars, though instructors should be aware of its scholarly tone and focused argument.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book cover both royalist and republican plays?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; the analysis traces a range of political perspectives from republican to royalist in the period's dramatic production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Susan Wiseman","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48778700914907,"sku":"0521032458","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/41nxxNq2ixL._SL1000.jpg?v=1778929273","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/drama-and-politics-in-the-english-civil-war-critical","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}