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Clothed Villainy: Acting White in Early Modern Drama
Paperback
Series: Strode Studies in Early Modern Literature and Culture
Literary CriticismGeneral Racism & Ethnic StudiesTheater History
ISBN13: 9780817362669
Publisher: University Alabama Press
Published: Aug 15 2026
Pages: 248
Weight: 0.80
Height: 0.72 Width: 5.99 Depth: 8.91
Language: English
Examines how centuries-old stagecraft shaped modern racial politics--and why the performance of whiteness still commands the spotlight.
From Shakespearean blackface to the alt-right's khaki-clad protests, Clothed Villainy: Acting White in in Early Modern Drama by Jamie Paris confronts the uncomfortable truths of racial performance across centuries. Paris argues that whiteness is not a fixed identity but a precarious and performative construct--shaped and sustained through actions, appearances, and cultural scripts.
Drawing on critical race theory, performance studies, and Indigenous scholarship, Clothed Villainy traces how racial scripts--whether playing Black, playing Indian, or especially playing white--have been used to uphold white supremacy and erase marginalized identities. By examining the costuming and characterization of white actors portraying Black villains on the early modern stage, Paris reveals how these theatrical traditions continue to echo in contemporary racial politics.
Written with bold clarity and personal insight, this book opens space for reimagining race, history, and identity through a more critical and inclusive lens. Clothed Villainy is essential reading for scholars, students, and anyone seeking to understand the deep-rooted performance of race in society and how we might reimagine it for a more equitable future.
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