Description
Publishing the History Play in the Time of Shakespeare reveals the crucial role that stationers played in shaping one of the most popular genres of the early modern period. Rather than focusing solely on playwrights, Amy Lidster examines how printers, publishers, and booksellers actively influenced the development and reception of history plays through their editorial choices, printing practices, and marketing strategies.
The book investigates how stationers decided which plays to publish, how they formatted and presented texts to readers, and how these material decisions affected audiences’ understanding of history plays. By analyzing the publication history of major works and the business practices of key stationers, Lidster demonstrates that the genre was not simply created by individual dramatists but was collectively shaped by the entire print industry. This innovative approach illuminates the commercial and material dimensions of literary history during the Shakespearean era.
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