King John (Cyclopedia of Literary Places)
At a glance:
- Author: William Shakespeare
- First Published: 1623
- Type of Work: Drama
- Type of Plot: Historical
- Time of Work: Early thirteenth century
- Genres: Drama, History play
- Subjects: Family or family life, Power, personal or social, France or French people, England or English people, Kings, queens, or royalty, Catholics or Catholic Church, Middle Ages, Thirteenth century
- Locales: France, England
Places Discussed
*England. The play’s English settings include King John’s castle, a battlefield, and an orchard near Swinstead Abbey. All these places are merely backdrops for the debates, declamations, disputes, and lamentations of the characters. The main focus is on the opposition between John and the Bastard, and it is this conflict rather than any setting or place which is crucial to the play’s shape. In fact, the play’s momentum would be retarded by more than passing reference to particular settings. It is character or episode rather than setting which makes a...
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