ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book attempts to remedy, at least in part, the lack of critical attention paid to the topic of immigration by examining the relationship between early modern England's largest immigrant population—settlers from the Low Countries—and representations of that community in dramatic literature. Monograph examines the representation of Flemish immigrants to England in Tudor and Stuart drama. The same is said for the study of English literature, where immigration to Britain has received considerably less scholarly attention than colonialism, imperialism, post-colonialism, and post-imperialism. Although this study focuses upon the dramatic representation of the Flemish immigrant community, the author choosed to consider all Flemish characters, namely merchants, sea captains, and native inhabitants of plays set in the Low Countries. The presence of the immigrant community held a wide range of implications for numerous groups and institutions.
