West European Studies

Basically, the book is about what Cressy considers as the transgressions and travesties that happened in England between the years 1560 up to 1650. As the title suggested, the stories are considered as travesties and transgressions. Often, they are about how selected actions and occurrences, events and phenomenon in the English social culture at the time deviated from what is socially accepted, thus making it, at the very least odd, and at its worst, a travesty or an act of transgression against the normal way of life. This is actually a collection of 15 different stories. The story of the Agnes Bowkers Cat, as seen in the title, acts as a prelude to the type of stories that the readers would find in this book, stories that tackle a wide range of topics. On the onset, it appears to be disconnected but in the end is nonetheless connected because they share one common characteristic. All of these weird oddities happened in one place and involved the same people in the same society. The Agnes Bowkers Cat story is just one of the many different stories. In this story, a woman convinced a midwife to cooperate in her plan to tell the world about how she was made pregnant by a demon, only for the investigators to discover a dead cat and in the end dismiss any charges of witchcraft or child killing in the process. Although the story was nonetheless weird and odd, indeed, it was a travesty to the modern society and modern day social practices and norms.

There are many other different stories too. These are all quite capable of being shocking, funny, entertaining, engrossing, gross, and all in all capable of putting forward many different possible reactions to this kind of story telling that Cressy has created via this book. There is the story of the Adamites, a group which is believed to be strongly religious and is somewhat involved in the practice of nudity and nude expressions as well as sex orgies like how other religious groups practiced it. The discussion of the Adamites in the book brings forward the discussion and analysis on the social condition. These perceived conditions are either imagined by the people who wanted this to become a reality or are merely a successful effort of extensive propaganda that infects those who are easily gullible to such stories. An example of this story is the case of the Adamites.

Indeed, the discussion and stories in the book varies strongly and appears to veer to and from many different directions. The titles itself are already giveaways to what the stories will be all about. For example, there is a section for seduction, deception and distress which, undoubtedly, discusses that exact topics and the in and in-betweens of such topic in the context of 16th-17th century England. There are also hints of religion like the prospect of excommunication and the burial of ones horse followed by what Cressy describes as the battle of words raging between the pulpit where the priest preaches and the parish where actual lives happen. Before reaching to a conclusion on page 281 of the book, Cressy will speak of and break apart other stories like how people position themselves as traditional or non-traditional believers (or even non believers), the practice of vandalism and how it is being looked upon by society, among others.

Indeed, the book Agnes Bowkers Cat Travesties and Transgressions in Tudor and Stuart England is an interesting read. It is not ones typical coffee table or bedside table reading because of how it can be offensive to those who are caught unprepared regarding the books contents. In reading the book, it is quite noticeable how the author was arguing for, emphasizing and pointing out certain right and wrong things about the society. It appears that the book was the authors form not just of documenting the life in England and chronicling an important chapter in the history of the country and its people but also providing a social criticism for what has happened and for has been happening. Cressy has had some clear points and position although what he was implying in other cases are vague and unclear in its definition of the lines and where Cressy exactly stood there.

For example, the author all in all was obviously attracted by this particular cultural characteristic in England - that is, the rise to popularity and cult fame of certain stories and how both the people and the forms of mass communication available at the time were responsible for it. Note that this was something that Cressy fully condemns. On the other hand, it appears that Cressys enjoyment in this social condition is veiled by his feigned objective presentation of what is considered as travesties when in fact Cressy was, like other people, were entertained at the very least by these stories, strong enough for Cressy to create book about it.

If anything, Cressy was trying to address social problems as revealed in these stories. The book itself was not made to point out these problems. These problems manifest themselves as the stories are being told, that is why the book was entitled travesties and not problems per se. Cressy made sure he and his book and what it points to achieves a certain degree of authoritative bearing as it is quick to include analysis as well as details of what is popular culture at the time involving and affecting the stories. In the end, the author appears to be - directly or indirectly - asking outwardly and openly without any particular target of the query why such things happen and what exactly is the purpose of these events, phenomenon, happenings and conditions in the social life to the lives of the people. Is it meant to serve a greater, subtle socio cultural agenda or was merely a product and manifestation of the complexity of human nature.

Cressy was adamant in emphasizing the  travesties in the form of vulgar and shocking practices and sub cultures, like the burlesque and the witchcraft, the sex orgies and the religions operating underground, etc. Cressy did not exactly point out what is right and wrong with affirmative definitive actions in the book, at the very least. He tried to let the readers or audience be equipped enough to be aware of these things. He left it for them to decide if there are indeed good or bad points regarding this social characteristic to begin with, or it this seemingly abnormal and counter culture conditions occupying a significant part of the social consciousness and psyche are nothing but normal parts of the social life in general.