Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay

by Craig Turner, Tony Soper, Joseph Papp (Foreword by)

Overview

Featuring period drawings and prints of swordplay, this book examines and compares three Elizabethan fencing manuals written in English before 1600: Giacomo Di Grassi’s His True Arte of Defense (1594), Vincentio Saviolo’s His Practice in Two Bookes (1595), and George Silver’s Paradoxes of Defence and Bref Instructions upon My Paradoxes of Defence (1599).

More than a technical manual on swordplay, this book explores the influence of a new form of violence introduced into Elizabethan culture by the invention of the rapier. The authors examine the rapier’s influence on the various social classes, the clash between the traditional English fencing masters and those embracing the new style, the growing concern with unregulated dueling, and the frequent references to rapier play in the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

As producer Joseph Papp notes in his foreword, this is a book that "makes a difference in performance."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780809335183
Publisher:	Southern Illinois University Press
Publication date:	03/16/2016
Edition description:	1st Edition
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Craig Turner is a professor of theater at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
 
Tony Soper is an actor and a fight director who has handled fight roles ranging from Shakespeare to samurai.

Table of Contents

Figures vii

Foreword Joseph Papp ix

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

1 The Elizabethan Fencing Masters 1

2 The Beginning of the Italian Invasion: Giacomo Di Grassi's True Arte 22

3 Vincentio Saviolo: His Practise in Two Bookes 52

4 The English Reply: George Silver and His Paradoxes of Defence 78

5 Elizabethan Swordplay Reconstructed 104

Notes 121

Bibliography 129

Index 135

Editorial Reviews

“Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay is written by two movement-oriented actors who analyze the writings and teachings of three Elizabethan fencing masters, arguing that by knowing what Elizabethans were being taught in fencing classes, we can make the leap that this is what Shakespeare’s actors did on stage. [The] authors share a love of theatre, combined with professional experience as both actors and stage combat choreographers. . . . Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay is a must for a stage combat choreographer, for a Shakespeare study program, or for an English drama teacher who can fence. . . . I heartily recommend that [this book] be added to any Shakespeare collection.”—Theatre Journal

“This splendid and absorbing book is an invaluable reference for fight directors and all those involved in staging exhibitions of historical swordplay. I recommend it wholeheartedly.”—Patrick Crean, fight master of the Stratford, Ontario, Shakespeare Festival

 

From the Publisher

Examines the only three existing Elizabethan fencing manuals, drawing a picture of personal combat in England before 1600. The authors explore the cultural impact of the rapier, reconstruct typical Elizabethan swordplay, and offer suggestions to modern directors for achieving authenticity in staged swordplay. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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