Homer and Greek tragedy in early modern England's theatres: an introduction

Abstract

This special issue’s opening essay traces the circulation of Homer’s epics and Greek tragedies in sixteenth-century England, and explores their consequences for England’s commercial theatres. Bringing together new and familiar evidence on English pedagogy, translation, theatrical production, and printing, the authors argue both that these texts acquired significantly more visibility during this period than has been recognized, and that the stage offered a privileged site for their reception. The essay reflects on the distinctive methodological challenges raised by Greek transmission in a period identified by preoccupations with classical texts. After developing the foundation for the special issue, it closes by introducing the essays that follow.