Description:
Theaters of Translation reveals how multilingual dictionaries, grammars, and dialogues shaped English Renaissance drama, offering a fresh perspective on playwrights like Shakespeare, Kyd, and Jonson. Andrew S. Keener explores how nonclassical European languages fostered transnational belonging and cosmopolitanism in early modern England, transforming the stage into a site of linguistic and cultural exchange. This groundbreaking study reimagines English theater as a vibrant participant in a multilingual Europe.
Review Quotes:
"Theaters of Translation is an exciting addition to an important new field. Building on an exhilarating hands-on examination of hundreds of printed books, Andrew Keener demonstrates lucidly and compellingly that English Renaissance theater was more cosmopolitan than we ever imagined." --Alan Stewart, author of The Oxford History of Life-Writing: Volume 2, Early Modern
"Rich and insightful in both its overview of multilingual materials and its literary analysis, Keener's book is suitable for any academic library. The subject matter may be a bit specialized for undergraduate readers, but it will certainly intrigue graduate students and faculty. Keener provides endnotes and an extensive bibliography." --CHOICE