Cultural Critique and Cultural Orthodoxy in Two Renaissance Plays

Abstract

At a time of historically monumental events in England, most notably the transition from feudalism to capitalism and establishing colonies abroad, there had been cultural oscillation between the old mode of life and the new understanding of life. Renaissance literary texts showed signs of criticism of the old tenets but could not register a substantial break up with them. Literary texts were engaged also in the act of colonisation taking place remotely from the English shores, their engagement was subversive at times but contained at others.