New Directions in Editing Renaissance Drama: Reading, Performance, and the Digital Age

While Renaissance dramatists like Middleton have long stood in the shadow of Shakespeare's modern editorial presence, new critical spotlights have focused on the dearth of editions and neglected editorial consideration for Shakespeare's contemporaries, spurred by projects like the recently released Oxford Thomas Middleton. In this thesis, I examine current editorial trends and interpretations informing critical editions of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, acknowledging the continued impact of Shakespearean editing on the larger field of textual criticism. This examination also extends to the new realm for editions of Renaissance drama -- electronic editions and hypertext. Ultimately, I argue that, while electronic editions offer new, exciting methods for editorial representation unavailable in codex form, editors must carefully consider the implications of readers as 'critical performers' of these new editions, as well as effective usage of digital media to enhance and promote better understanding of performance-friendly, accessible texts highlighting collaboration between Shakespeare and his contemporaries.