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Slander constitutes a central social, legal and literary concern of early modern England. A category of discourse which transgresses the law, it offers a more historically grounded and fluid account of power relations between poets and the state than that offered by the commonly accepted model of official censorship. An investigation of slander reveals it to be an effective, unstable and reversible means of repudiating one's opposition that could be deployed by rulers or poets. Spenser, Jonson and Shakespeare each use the paradigm of slander to challenge official criticism of poetry, while contemporary legal theory associates slander with poetry. However, even as rulers themselves make use of slander in the form of propaganda to demonize those they perceive to be their foes, ultimately they are unable to contain completely the threat posed by slanderous accusations against the state.

English literature --- -Libel and slander --- Libel and slander --- Libel and slander in literature --- Literature and society --- -Renaissance --- -Law and literature --- -Literature and law --- Literature --- Renaissance --- Revival of letters --- Civilization --- History, Modern --- Civilization, Medieval --- Civilization, Modern --- Humanism --- Middle Ages --- Literature and sociology --- Society and literature --- Sociology and literature --- Sociolinguistics --- Calumny --- Defamation --- Slander --- Torts --- British literature --- Inklings (Group of writers) --- Nonsense Club (Group of writers) --- Order of the Fancy (Group of writers) --- History and criticism --- History --- -History --- Social aspects --- Law and legislation --- Law and literature --- Libel and slander in literature. --- History and criticism. --- History.