Bartholomew Fair (Cyclopedia of Literary Places)
At a glance:
- Author: Ben Jonson
- First Published: 1631
- Type of Work: Drama
- Type of Plot: Satire
- Time of Work: Early seventeenth century
- Genres: Satire, Drama, Comedy
- Subjects: Love or romance, England or English people, Seventeenth century, London, Theft, Puppets or puppet plays, Fairs, Puritans or Puritanism
- Locales: London, England
Places Discussed
*Bartholomew Fair (BART-le-mee). London’s raucous Bartholomew Fair, held at Smithfields from 1120 onward. The original site was the area where animals were slaughtered and sold. During the reign of Queen Mary, the fair was suspended, and Smithfields became the site where heretics were burned at the stake. The fair was reestablished in the 1560’s after the accession of Elizabeth I. Symbolically, the fair represents the world, with all its liveliness, riot, and sinfulness. Representatives of the law, such as Justice Overdone, and the rigid Puritan sect, such...
[The entire page is 591 words long]
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