Early modern theatre was a visual matter, even though the authors wrote plays which were mainly meant to be read. But whether they wrote their plays to have them performed or not, authors could use comedies, tragi-comedies or tragedies to influence public opinion, to make a statement in a debate, or to convey explicit or implicit lessons that they carried out or had carried out by linguistic, rhetorical and theatrical means. How explicit they were in expressing their views depended on the characters of the authors or the circumstances in which they wrote. Questions regarding the opinion-forming and opinion-following functions of theatre, the means by which authors and theatre makers expressed their ideas, and the role of theatre and plays in public debate are discussed from various angles. Such questions refer not only to 'literary' plays, but also to other forms of theatrical event, such as royal entrances. Contributors include: Imre Besanger, Hartmut Beyer, Stijn Bussels, Jean-Frederic Chevalier, Verena Demoed, Arjan van Dixhoorn, Ron Gruijters, Jelle Koopmans, Frans-Willem Korsten, Katell Laveant, Hubert Meeus, Marco Prandoni, and Helmar Schramm.

List of Illustrations Drama, Performance, Debate. Theatre and Public Opinion in the Early Modern Period: An Introduction Jan Bloemendal, Peter G.F. Eversmann and Elsa Strietman Ch. 1: Personal Expression of a Playwright or Public Discourse of a Confraternity? A Performance at the Puy de Notre-Dame in Amiens in 1473 Katell Laveant Ch. 2: Carlo and Marcellino Verardi's Fernandus servatus and the Poem Supra casum Hispani regis by Petrus Martyr: Drama and Diplomacy in Papal Rome under Alexander VI Hartmut Beyer Ch. 3: The University out on the streets: Drama, Debate and Public Space in France (1490-1520) Jelle Koopmans Ch. 4: Theatre Society in the Early Modern Low Countries: Theatricality, Controversy, and Publicity in Amsterdam in the 1530s Arjan van Dixhoorn Ch. 5: Theatre in Court: The Heresy Trial Against the Playwright Gnapheus and the Confessionalization of the Lutheran Church Verena Demoed Ch. 6: All About Eve: Genesis and Gender in a Fireworks Display in the Antwerp Entry of Charles V and his Son Philip Stijn Bussels Ch. 7: Staged Conversations: Topical Discourse in Sixteenth-Century Dutch Biblical Rhetoricians' Plays Elsa Strietman Ch. 8: The peasant as a mouthpiece of public opinion in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Dutch theatre Hubert Meeus Ch. 9: Public Debate and Early Modern Drama: Intended or Unintended Topicality in Lummenaeus a Marca's Carcer Babylonius (1610) Ron J. Gruijters Ch. 10: Contextualizing Nicolas Caussin's Tragoediae sacrae (1620): Moral issues in the portrayal of passions Jean-Frederic Chevalier Ch. 11: 'Founded for the Ears and Eyes of the People': Picturing the Amsterdam Schouwburg from 1637 Peter Eversmann Ch. 12: Staging the History of Amsterdam in Vondel's Gysbreght van Aemstel: A Non-Confessional Dramatic Contribution to the Narrative of the Dutch Revolt Marco Prandoni Ch. 13: Mundus Dramaticus: A School Drama and Dramatization - Franciscus van den Enden Frans-Willem Korsten Ch. 14: Ballet de la Paix: Staging a Seventeenth-century Theatre Performance Imre Besanger Ch. 15: Masks and Skulls: Towards an Anatomy of Drama in the Seventeenth Century Helmar Schramm About the authors Bibliography Index of names