The Illusion of Power: Political Theater in the English Renaissance

by Stephen Orgel

"Elegant, deeply learned, and intellectually adventurous, its implications extend far beyond the boundaries of the Stuart and Caroline masque. It is an indispensable, exploration of political art and aestheticized politics. . . . a classic."--Stephen Greenblatt, University of California, Berkeley "A triumph of scholarship, insight, and explication, Oregel's book is truly a classic in the field of Renaissance studies. Anyone interested in Renaissance culture will find here a masterful analysis of its celebration of royal power."--Coppelia Kahn, Brown University "As knowing of art, theatrical and political history as it is sensitive to poetry, Orgel's book is learned, lively, and beautifully clear."--John Hollander, Yale University "A foundational text for the New Historicist Perspective in English Renaissance literary and cultural studies . . . as informative and suggestive as it was when new; in the clarity and grace of its writing, the breadth and precision of its arguments, the aptness and resonance of its examples, it is unsurpassed as an introduction to the dialectic of theatrical illusion and state authority--of play and power--in the culture of Elizabethan and Stuart England."--Louis Montrose, University of California, San Diego

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Renaissance, Literary Criticism, Theatre, Drama, Shakespeare

110 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[max theodore]

i love when books are specific as all hell

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an elegant, concise explanation of the role of masques in seventeenth century England. What I find especially helpful is the contrast Orgel makes between "private" (his definition) and "public" theater.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good, and short, introduction to how Elizabeth, James and Charles I used masques and other court plays to show their power and authority.

A great place to start if you are fascinated by the odd masque scene in The Tempest.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

appropriate reading for coronation weekend

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this book are interesting. Orgel was the first academic to write on the difference between the common theatre (the Globe or Blackfriars) and the royal theatre (taking place at the court or any noble's estate). He goes into theories of theatrics (vision vs auditory) on how to enjoy the play. He sets the two theatres apart very well. The common people's theatre relied little on spectacle. The sets here were minimal and the performance was mainly auditory. But the masques that were performed for king and court were opulent, visual spectacles. To get into a play and be a groundling cost a penny, and to get better seats could be as high as a few shillings (which varies from a day to about a week's work). The masques costed as much as 3,000£ or more! That's several thousand dollars in today's economy! Orgel gets more in depth with the masques from there. The man is very informative and intelligent without being so dense the reader doesn't understand. Worth the read for theatre people and anyone interested in royal history.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orgel's work is thorough and informative. It answers a lot of questions I didn't even know to ask about the Caroline stage. My only disappointment is the ending; the last third of the book does not fully digest its own claims, making it difficult as a reader to really internalize the extent of the scholarship before closing the pages. That said, The Illusion of Power is a pleasant, clearly-written read and worth the time to finish it.

[Jay D]

Orgell gives a fascinating analysis of the socio-poltical ramifications of the Renaissance masque, including it's neo-platonic climate and hierarchical constructs as connected to the Stuart and Caroline monarchies, into the reformation era.

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a lot of information for a scholarly work.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than 40 years after it was written, Orgel's scholarly and readable analysis remains an insightful exploration of the world of the English Renaissance theatre, and in particular the Jacobean and Caroline court masque. Whilst access to the surviving texts and visual documentation of the masques themselves is much more widely available than it was in 1975, making the third chapter feel just a touch light, it's hard to imagine a clearer introduction, both compact and comprehensive, to the topic.