Hometown/country: London, England
Course: PhD English
Research Topic: ' Poisonous Plays of the Jacobean Stage: The King's Men and the Rhetoric of Poison'
My current research grew out of an interest on cosmetic poisonings presented on the Jacobean stage, and a desire to investigate theatrical poison plots more carefully. The thesis will explore how and why the device of poisoning was used in Jacobean plays, and in particular how it reflected on the relationship between the King's Men and James I. Censorship, puritan opposition to the theatre, the staging of the body, attitudes to cosmetic practices and the very nature of Jacobean tragedy itself will all be considered in relation to the central question of the work: what use does poison serve the playhouse?
Qualifications: BA (Hons.) English and Related Literature, MA Renaissance Literature 1500-1700 (University of York).