Middleton And Usury

David Hawkes

doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199559886.013.0018

Middleton And Usury

David Hawkes

English

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This article discusses usury as a dominant theme in Middleton's plays. Relations of credit and debt mediate every kind of human interaction in his drama, despoiling innocence, violating love, debasing character, and unbalancing the mind. Middleton was particularly well placed to understand the dramatic impact of usury on everyday life. His childhood was marred by a decades-long financial and legal struggle between his mother and stepfather, which temporarily sent his stepfather to debtors' prison and deprived Thomas of most of his inheritance. Fragmentary as it is, the surviving written evidence records several instances of Middleton's financial distress. In 1612 he is listed among the debtors of the deceased Ewen Hebson of Westminster, and he defaulted on loans in 1606 and 1609.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	The Oxford Handbook of Thomas Middleton
Publisher	Oxford University Press
ISBN (Electronic)	9780191751950
ISBN (Print)	9780199559886
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199559886.013.0018
State	Published - Nov 21 2012

Keywords

Debt
Plays
Thomas Middleton
Usurers
Usury

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Arts and Humanities

Access to Document

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199559886.013.0018

Cite this

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title = "Middleton And Usury",

abstract = "This article discusses usury as a dominant theme in Middleton's plays. Relations of credit and debt mediate every kind of human interaction in his drama, despoiling innocence, violating love, debasing character, and unbalancing the mind. Middleton was particularly well placed to understand the dramatic impact of usury on everyday life. His childhood was marred by a decades-long financial and legal struggle between his mother and stepfather, which temporarily sent his stepfather to debtors' prison and deprived Thomas of most of his inheritance. Fragmentary as it is, the surviving written evidence records several instances of Middleton's financial distress. In 1612 he is listed among the debtors of the deceased Ewen Hebson of Westminster, and he defaulted on loans in 1606 and 1609.",

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AB - This article discusses usury as a dominant theme in Middleton's plays. Relations of credit and debt mediate every kind of human interaction in his drama, despoiling innocence, violating love, debasing character, and unbalancing the mind. Middleton was particularly well placed to understand the dramatic impact of usury on everyday life. His childhood was marred by a decades-long financial and legal struggle between his mother and stepfather, which temporarily sent his stepfather to debtors' prison and deprived Thomas of most of his inheritance. Fragmentary as it is, the surviving written evidence records several instances of Middleton's financial distress. In 1612 he is listed among the debtors of the deceased Ewen Hebson of Westminster, and he defaulted on loans in 1606 and 1609.

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Middleton And Usury

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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