Lori Humphrey Newcomb

Lori Humphrey Newcomb is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, holding positions in the Department of English, Gender and Women's Studies, and the Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory. Her research focuses on early modern prose fiction, drama, and popular print culture, with a particular emphasis on theories of representation, performance, and gender. She earned her Ph.D. in English from Duke University and a B.A. in British Studies from Yale University.

• Education: Ph.D. (English), Duke University; B.A. (British Studies), Yale University

Her work explores intersections between literature, material culture, and gender, with publications examining annotations in early modern books, the prehistory of copyright, and the cultural reception of Robert Greene and William Shakespeare. Newcomb’s scholarship bridges early modern studies and contemporary critical theory, contributing to debates on print culture, authorship, and audience engagement.

Her research outputs include the book Reading Popular Romance in Early Modern England (2002) and influential chapters on topics like Frances Wolfreston’s annotated books and the performance of remediation in Shakespearean texts. Her articles frequently address interdisciplinary themes such as book history, legal frameworks in publishing, and the materiality of texts.

• Key Research Themes: Early modern print culture, gender studies, book history, Shakespearean adaptations, legal prehistory of copyright, and reader reception.