What question did this study set out to answer?

The research examines how late 16th and early 17th-century English drama depicts Africa through themes of anti-Christian ethics and discipline.

April 12, 2026

Anti-Christian Ethics and Undisciplined African Natural Space: Imagining Africa in Late Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth Century English Drama

Puntos clave

The research examines how late 16th and early 17th-century English drama depicts Africa through themes of anti-Christian ethics and discipline.
Analyzed plays from the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries.
Explored representations of Africa's landscapes, animals, and plants in drama.
Examined connections to early visual arts and travelogues.
Africa is portrayed as requiring discipline to align with English perceptions.
Depictions of paganism reflect contemporary views on African culture.
These portrayals provide ideological support for England's expansionist ambitions.

Resumen

Abstract In late sixteenth and early seventeenth century English drama, playwrights portray Africa as a land marked by ‘anti-Christian ethics’ and in need of ‘discipline’, through depictions of its landscapes, animals, and plants. This imaginative framework, shaped by early visual arts and travelogues, reinforces England’s ‘sense of place’ (Frank 2005; Tuan 1977) and ‘cultural superiority’, providing ideological support for its expansionist ambitions. It also reflects the anxieties of the English public about the Ottoman Empire and African pirates. The emphasis on Africa’s ‘anti-Christian ethics’ aligns with contemporary English views on paganism in Africa, while its portrayal as ‘in need of discipline’ helps alleviate fears of the Ottoman Empire and North African pirates by constructing a negative image. By presenting Africa as a land waiting to be disciplined, these playwrights provide the English audience with emotional security, allowing them to confront and manage these perceived threats on stage. 1

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