Antitheatricalism and Jonsons Volpone Essay -- Jonson Volpone Essays

Antitheatricalism and Jonsons Volpone    Cross back in England was in the main opposed by the Fundamentalist branch of the Protestant Church cognize as the Puritans. The Puritan dogma, much similar the concept of transvestism, was constantly challenged. Puritans strand resistance in the religious authorities of the Church of England and the English g all overnment. ahead 1536, the Ro human Catholic Church was unimpeded and always won over Puritan proposals regarding legislation. Without a cooperative political ear, the Puritans resorted to experimental spiritual contemplation by changing their brotherly behavior and structuring. Due to these changes, a impressive way of attacking the theaters use of crossdressing was developed- public preaching and pamphlets. Other individuals and groups (like the Juvenalians) back up the moral and social re casting movement by speaking and physical composition essays and books on the subject. Due to the nature the actors role in Ben Jonsons Volpone, the play was also implicated in this moral battle. The ideology behind the Puritan proclaim was based on biblical sentiment and the patristic literary usance of Roman writers like Tertullian and St. Augustine. The Puritans religious banner for combatting gender transgression was Deuteronomy 225- The woman shall not wear that which pertains to a man, neither shall a man put on a womans garment (Tiffany 58). In general, pagan myths were also associated with crossdressing. Puritans like William Pryne labeled these actors as beastly male monsters that degenerate into women (Tiffany 59). Further, the Puritans feared that men dressing as women caused the men in the audience to lust for real females and to form homoerotic desires for the male actors (the re... ...goal of the Antitheatrical movement in the Renaissance, was both supported and denounced by Jonson in various ways. However, the general perception is that Jonson (unlike Shakespeare) fueled the fires o f degradation- implicating women with the weakness, lack of intelligence, and source they were believed to exude. In the annals of theatrical history, Jonsons metadrama could be said to perpetuate this social stereotype. Nevertheless, Jonsons crossing of the gender line and sexual scenes like Volpones flashing of Celia were equal to have religious, moral, and social commentators screaming blood murder. Two issues demand jut in the play. While outwardly a play driven by blatant genderless controversy, the inward thematic, character-driven nature of Volpone suggests a conformity and adherence to the sharp and theological moralism of the time.