Wit's Pilgrimage: Theatre and the Social Impact of Education in Early Modern England

This title was first published in 2000: England experienced something of a social revolution in the years from the early 16th century to the Civil War. This work seeks to add a new dimension to the discussion of this phenomena by focusing on the emerging role and function of social behaviour as a means of signalling social identity and rank. Noting the even greater emphasis placed on manners, customs and ordinary behaviour during that time period, Darryll Grantley demonstrates the interrelation of two key elements - education and drama - in the reconstruction of social identity. By examining the relationship between education and drama, Grantley contributes important perspectives on the ways in which drama functioned in society. He explores education as a prominent motif in the aristocratically patronized drama of the 16th century; the contribution of the academy to the evolution of public modes of drama; education and the playwrights; education and the audience; and the representations of learning and social behaviour on the public stage. Throughout, the study explores the increasing social significance of education in 16th- and 17th-century England, and the reflection of that cultural change in the drama of the period.