Fighting the Antichrist – A Cultural History of Anti–Catholicism in Tudor England

Fighting the Antichrist analyzes the discourse against Catholicism within England, from the breach from Rome in 1534 until the death of Elizabeth I in 1603. Cultural representations of Catholicism were decisive in creating and molding the perceptions that many Englishmen had of the new Anglican Church. Anti-Catholic propaganda elaborated a stereotype of the Catholic that converged with other negative cultural types common in the period. These stereotypes allowed anti-Catholics to send a clear message to their Protestant countrymen: that Catholicism was a devilish, corrupt power that could undermine their Church and State. Special attention is paid to political and doctrinal plays and pamphlets, given their appeal to different social groups and their role in creating a new public opinion.