Thomas Middleton and the Plural Politics of Jacobean Drama represents the first sustained study of Middleton's dramatic works as responses to James I's governance. By examining the double political vision that Middleton and his collaborators' allegory and irony establishes, the work offers an alternative to the popular view of the decider in political theology. The author argues that Middleton's presentation of plural and competing politics in his topical dramatic works serves to counter the image James cultivated of himself through political theology. Drawing upon traditional political allegory as well as popular tracts that emerged during the Jacobean period, such as libels and news, Kaethler examines Middleton's political works ranging from Middleton's first extant play The Phoenix (1604) to his scandalous finale A Game at Chess (1624).