Renaissance Magic and the Return of the Golden Age: The Occult Tradition and Marlowe, Jonson, and Shakespeare 080328179X, 9780803281790

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Renaissance Magic and the Return of the Golden Age: The Occult Tradition and Marlowe, Jonson, and Shakespeare
080328179X, 9780803281790

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John S. Mebane

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Renaissance Magic and the Return of the Golden Age The Occult Tradition and Marlowe, Jonson, and

Shalcespeare

John S. ~ebane

University of Nebraska Press Lincoln & London

0 ~ :L.

c.(

MLf- 8 S-re._ Acknowledgments for the use of previously published material appear on page xv. Copyright C> 1989 by the University of Nebraska Press All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America The paper in this book meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences--Pennanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI z39.48-1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Mebane, John S., 1946Renaissance magic and the return of the Golden Age : the occult tradition and Marlowe, Jonson, and Shakespeare I John S. Mebane.

P· cm. Bibliography: p. Includes index. ISBN 0-8032-3133-4 (alk. paper) 1. English drama-Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-16oo History and criticism. 2. English drama-1?th centuryHistory and criticism. 3. Occultism in literature. 4. Magic in literature. 5. Golden age (Mythology) in literature. 6. Marlowe, Christopher, 1564-1593. Doctor Faustus. 7. Jonson, Ben, 1573?-1637. Alchemist. 8. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Tempest. 9. Renaissance-England. I. Title. PR658.03M43 1989 822'.3'093?-dc19 88-22o68 CIP

To tAe memory ofmy pamats, John Harrison Mebane and Hannah Price Kallam Mebane

Contents

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List of Illustrations Preface A Note on Texts, Translations, and Illustrations Renaissance Magic and the Return of the Golden Age Art and Magic in the Philosophy of Marsilio Ficino Pico della Mirandola: Christian Cabala, Theurgy, and Universal Reformation Cornelius Agrippa and the Dissemination of Renaissance Magic Magic, Science, and Witchcraft in Renaissance England Vision and Illusion in Marlowe's Dr. Faustus The Renaissance Magus as Mock-Hero: Utopianism and Religious Enthusiasm in Ben Jonson's The Alchemist Neoclassicism and the Scientific Frame of Mind: Ben Jonson and "Mystick Symboles" Magic as Love and Faith: Shakespeare's The Tempest Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index

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following page 11 o Title page of Robert Recorde's Tlie Castle ofI