Mini-Episode: Shakespeare & Cross-dressing

In today’s episode, we’ll be covering cross-dressing in early modern England. Shakespeare depicts cross-dressing in multiple plays, but what was the contemporary cultural context? We'll dive into early modern reactions to cross-dressing both onstage and off and how Shakespeare uses cross-dressing as a plot device across his plays. 

Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp.

Note: When this episode was recorded, Kourtney Smith was "Korey Leigh Smith".

Episode written and researched by Kourtney Smith.

Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander.

Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com

Works referenced:

Cressy, David. “Gender Trouble and Cross-Dressing in Early Modern England.” Journal of British Studies, vol. 35, no. 4, 1996, pp. 438–452. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/176000. Accessed 28 May 2021.

Howard, Jean E. “Crossdressing, The Theatre, and Gender Struggle in Early Modern England.” Shakespeare Quarterly, vol. 39, no. 4, 1988, pp. 418–440. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2870706. Accessed 19 May 2021.

Saccardi, Nadia. “Women Cross-Dressing and the Early Modern.” The Costume Society, The Costume Society, 2014, accessed 18 May 2021 from costumesociety.org.uk/blog/post/women-cross-dressing-and-the-early-modern.