The Fabric of Society: Cloth and the Performance of Identity In Jonson's 'Bartholomew Fair'

The present Master's thesis seeks to develop a better understanding of Ben Jonson's complex ideas concerning society's theatricality through a close study of what has been called his greatest city comedy, Bartholomew Fair. Looking at Jonson's treatment of cloth, clothing, and disguise throughout the play, I will explore his concerns with the basic problem of surface versus depth and outward show versus inner essence. Taking a special interest in how Jonson's anti-materiality complicated his position as a playwright, I will engage another dichotomy haunting Jonson: sensorial spectacle versus the idealistic/metaphysical art of poetry. Using a cultural-materialist approach to read discrete moments of the play, I will discuss the historical context in which Jonson writes and explore the ways he engages with and responds to what he saw happening to surface-value in early modern England.