Drawing on feminist criticism, cultural studies, and new historicist ideas, Kowaleski-Wallace suveys eighteenth century literary texts, material object, and cultural events to illuminate the ways in which women are both controlled by and empowered through images of consumption.

Deborah C. Payne explores how the duopoly of 1660 impacted company practices, stagecraft, the box office, and actors and writers.

First published in 1989. `The book is a distinguished work - of importance to students of governmental development generally. It is written in a fluent, non-technical manner that should reach a wide audience.' American Historical Review.