You reached this page through the archive. Click here to return to the archive.

Note: This article is over a year old and information contained in it may no longer be accurate. Please use the contact information in the lower-left corner to verify any information in this article.

Marsalek co-edits book on early English drama

By Tom Vogel
February 19, 2007

Associate professor of English Karen Marsalek '90 recently completed co-editing a collection of essays titled 'Bring furth the pagants': Essays in Early English Drama presented to Alexandra F. Johnston (Studies in Early English Drama). The book also contains Marsalek's essay, "'Awake your faith': Resurrection Drama and The Winter's Tale."

"It was a great experience to work with the contributors as part of this collection honoring Sandy [Johnston]," says Marsalek, whose dissertation advisor was Johnston.

With 'Bring furth the pagants,' Marsalek, along with co-editor David N. Klausner, professor of medieval literature and vice dean of interdisciplinary affairs at the University of Toronto, honors the work and career of Johnston, founder and director of the Records of Early English Drama Project. The book brings together original essays in early English drama by colleagues and students of Johnston.

Marsalek's essay, "'Awake your faith,'" surveys the tradition of performing Christ's resurrection or resurrection dramas, which was popular in England until the 16th century. "The essay looks at textual examples and identifies features typical of that type of drama," Marsalek says. She also looks at the final scene in The Winter's Tale and argues that Shakespeare works with the features of this theatrical tradition in his construction of the scene.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.