Through its rich foray into popular literary culture and medical history, this book investigates representations of regular and irregular medical practice in early modern England. Focusing on the prolific figures of the barber, surgeon and barber-surgeon, the author explores what it meant to the early modern population for a group of practitioners to be associated with both the trade guilds and an emerging professional medical world. The book uncovers the differences and cross-pollinations between barbers and surgeons' practices which play out across the literature: we learn not only about their cultural, civic, medical and occupational histories but also about how we should interpret patterns in language, name choice, performance, materiality, acoustics and semiology in the period. The investigations prompt new readings of Shakespeare, Jonson, Middleton and Beaumont, among others. And with chapters delving into early modern representations of medical instruments, hairiness, bloodletting procedures, waxy or infected ears, wart removals and skeletons, readers will find much of the contribution of this book is in its detail, which brings its subject to life.

Examines a wide range of texts, both scientific and literary Reads a number of well-known texts from canonical writers such as Shakespeare, Jonson and Middleton Addresses a critical oversight - the figures of barbers and surgeons, though extremely common on the Early Modern stage, have hitherto gone unexamined

Autorentext

Eleanor Decamp completed her doctorate in English Literature at the University of Oxford, UK. This is her first monograph. She is co-convenor of The Blood Project, an investigation into Medieval and Renaissance theories of blood.

Inhalt

Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and Conventions
Introduction: Naming of Parts: Barber, Surgeon and Barber-Surgeon

1. 'Settinge up a shoppe': Inventories and Props
2. 'Lend me thy basin, apron and razor': Disguise, (Mis)Appropriation
   and Play
3. Semiotics of Barber-Surgery in Shakespeare: Chair and Basin
4. 'And pleasant harmonie shall sound in your eares': Ballads, Music and Groans, Snip-snaps, Fiddlesticks, Ear-picks and Wax
5. 'An unnecessary flood of words'?
   Epilogue
   Notes
   Bibliography
   Index