Heather S. Mitchell, Graduate Student
Email Address: hsm17@duke.edu
Current projects: 'Dost Thou Speak Like a King?': Enacting Tyranny on the Early English Stage (dissertation)
Areas of Interest:
Late Medieval English Literature and Culture
Early Modern English Literature and Culture
Anglo-Saxon Literature
Drama and Performance Studies
Historiography and Political Writing
Popular Culture and Fandom Studies
Academic Writing
Typical Courses Taught:
- English 90, Historical fictions
Synopsis
- English 26, Mr. president, your majesty: political leaders in popular texts
- Writing 20, Writing the academy inside out
Bio/Profile
When asked about her research, Heather's usual answer is that she works on bad kings who speak in Middle English. To get a bit more specific, her dissertation explores the symbiotic relationship between theatre and tyranny in one of history's most socially transgressive genres: early English vernacular drama. Heather's project is shaped by the historiographic challenge of discovering what can be understood as "popular" in a pre-industrial context, her personal crusade against historical periodization, and the amazing insights she has gained from teaching the history and texts she loves to others. On the occasions when she finds some spare time (usually under the sofa cushions), Heather enjoys playing taiko (big Japanese drums), “studying” fans and their reading practices, drinking tea, and writing about herself in the third person.