Stephen Wittek
swittek.bsky.social
Stephen Wittek
@swittek.bsky.social
I'm an Associate Professor and Director of the Literary and Cultural Studies program in the Department of English at Carnegie Mellon University. I work on Shakespeare, early modern drama, wit, news, publics, conversion, computational humanities, and VR.
Reposted by Stephen Wittek
Up next in December 2025: Issues in Review contributing editor @swittek.bsky.social introduces a brace of short, cutting edge essays tackling how early modern English drama represented conversion -- a complex process shaped, this IR shows, by by race, gender, politics, and performance.
#EarlyDrama
December 18, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wittek
What counts as lawful, as opposed to criminal, conversion? And what are the stakes of each? This depends on which genre of early modern English drama is taking up such questions, according to Sheila Coursey. Read more in ET's upcoming Dec 2025 issue.
#EarlyTheatre #EarlyModern @swittek.bsky.social
December 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wittek
What happens to faithful wives in early modern English plays where prodigal sons give way to prodigal husbands? Hannah Korrell explores how "Griselda Fights Back," along the way changing trajectories of gender in conversion narratives. Forthcoming in 28.2's Issues in Review. @swittek.bsky.social
December 18, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wittek
What's in a name -- Romeo's name? And what's conversion (not just love) got to do with it? Read more in @hollypickett.bsky.social's essay on Romeo's transformation 'from renegade to martyr': forthcoming in our upcoming Issues in Review, ET 28.2 (Dec 2025). @swittek.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by Stephen Wittek
Emily Parise highlights the paradox in Marlowe's Jew of Malta: while early modern religious conversion suggests an internal change, the need for outward performance can lead to insincerity. Learn more in our Dec 2025 Issues in Review on Drama and Conversion organized by @swittek.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I'm proud to announce the publication of a collection of essays on ‘Drama and Conversion’ that I edited for 𝐸𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑒. The line-up of contributing authors features Sheila Coursey, Jordan Zajac, Hannah Korell, Holly Crawford Pickett, Emily Parise, and yours truly. See comments for details.
December 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM