QUEER VIRGINS AND VIRGIN QUEANS ON THE EARLY MODERN STAGE

First edition. Publisher's original black cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm, with a touch of rubbing to the head of the spine. The contents are clean throughout, and without inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the original dustwrapper, which has a small stain to the bottom of the spine and some minor bleeding from the cloth to the underside.

The author looks at the nature of punning in its early modern theatrical context, offering a fresh perspective through their close examination of obscure and obsence puns, particularly those that had a 'queer' or homoerotic theme. They explore the bawdy puns of the small boys' company known as the first Whitefriars (1607-8), particularly the creativity they displayed in their punning and the effect they had upon their audiences. The book demonstrates how puns create communities by looking at the social implications of audience members laughing at queer puns in a group versus on one's own, and posits a self-aware homoerotic community in early modern London.