The great English Renaissance tragedy—violent, powerful, unforgettable—in a freshly edited and annotated student edition. “Neill’s edit of the play is very well done. … If there’s a more knowledgeable or erudite unraveling of the play, I haven’t seen it.” —Steve Sohmer, Comitatus This Norton Critical Edition of John Webster’s 1612–13 tragedy offers a newly edited and annotated text together with a full introduction and illustrative materials intended for student readers. The Duchess of Malfi’s themes of love, loyalty, and betrayal have resonated through the centuries, making this a perennially popular play with audiences and readers alike. This volume includes a generous selection of supporting materials, among them Webster’s likely sources for the play (William Painter, George Whetstone, Simon Goulart, and Thomas Beard) as well as related works by Webster and George Wither on widows, funerals, and memorializing death. A generous selection from Mark H. Curtis’s classic essay, “The Alienated Intellectuals of Early Stuart England,” tells readers as much about the character of Bosola as it does about his creator. Henry Fitzgeffrey (1617) and Horatio Busino (1618) provide early responses to the play. “Criticism” is thematically organized to provide readers with a clear sense of The Duchess of Malfi’s central themes of dramaturgy; the politics of family, court, and religion; and gender. Also included are essays on contemporary re-imaginings of the play and its critical reception over time. Contributors include Don D. Moore, Inga-Stina Ewbank, Christina Luckyj, Barbara Correll, D. C. Gunby, Lee Bliss, Rowland Wymer, Brian Chalk, Theodora Jankowski, and Pascale Aebischer. A selected bibliography is also included.

The great English Renaissance tragedy--violent, powerful, unforgettable--in a freshly edited and annotated student edition.

The great English Renaissance tragedy—violent, powerful, unforgettable—in a freshly edited and annotated student edition. This Norton Critical Edition of John Webster’s 1612–13 tragedy offers a newly edited and annotated text together with a full introduction and illustrative materials intended for student readers. The Duchess of Malfi’s themes of love, loyalty, and betrayal have resonated through the centuries, making this a perennially popular play with audiences and readers alike. This volume includes a generous selection of supporting materials, among them Webster’s likely sources for the play (William Painter, George Whetstone, Simon Goulart, and Thomas Beard) as well as related works by Webster and George Wither on widows, funerals, and memorializing death. A generous selection from Mark H. Curtis’s classic essay, “The Alienated Intellectuals of Early Stuart England,” tells readers as much about the character of Bosola as it does about his creator. Henry Fitzgeffrey (1617) and Horatio Busino (1618) provide early responses to the play. “Criticism” is thematically organized to provide readers with a clear sense of The Duchess of Malfi’s central themes of dramaturgy; the politics of family, court, and religion; and gender. Also included are essays on contemporary re-imaginings of the play and its critical reception over time. Contributors include Don D. Moore, Inga-Stina Ewbank, Christina Luckyj, Barbara Correll, D. C. Gunby, Lee Bliss, Rowland Wymer, Brian Chalk, Theodora Jankowski, and Pascale Aebischer. A selected bibliography is also included.

More widely studied and more frequently performed than ever before, John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi is here presented in an accessible and thoroughly up-to-date edition. Based on the Revels Plays text, the notes have been augmented to cast further light both on Webster's amazing dialogue and on the stage action. An entirely new introduction sets the tragedy in the context of pre-Civil War England and gives a revealing view of its imagery and dramatic action. From its well-documented early performances to the two productions seen in the West End of London in the 1995-96 season, a stage history gives an account of the play in performance. Students, actors, directors and theatre-goers will all find here a reappraisal of Webster's artistry in the greatest age of English theatre, which highlights why it has lived on stage with renewed force in the last decades of the twentieth century.

Step into a world of intrigue, passion, and betrayal in John Webster's captivating play, "The Duchess of Malfi." Set against the backdrop of a morally complex society, this dark tragedy explores the depths of human desire and the consequences of defiance. As the story unfolds, a haunting question emerges: What lengths will one go to in pursuit of love and freedom? Webster's powerful characters challenge the oppressive forces around them, igniting a drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat. But here's the twist that will leave you breathless: In a world dominated by corruption and revenge, can true love ever prevail? *The Duchess of Malfi* grapples with themes of power, loyalty, and the struggle for identity, inviting you to consider the price of passion. With its rich language and intricate plot, this play immerses you in a haunting tale that resonates across time. Webster’s masterful use of dramatic irony heightens the tension, leading to a shocking conclusion that will linger in your mind. Are you prepared to witness the tragic downfall of a woman who dared to love in a world that sought to crush her spirit? This is more than just a play; it's a profound exploration of human nature and societal constraints. Each scene draws you deeper into the emotional turmoil of its characters, challenging your perceptions of morality and justice. Don't miss your chance to experience this timeless tragedy! Will you dare to confront the darkness within the world of "The Duchess of Malfi"? Purchase "The Duchess of Malfi" now, and immerse yourself in a tale of love and vengeance that has captivated audiences for centuries!

These four plays, written during the reigns of James I and Charles I, took revenge tragedy in dark and ambiguous new directions. In The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil, John Webster explores the role of women and the problems of power, sex and corruption in the Italian court, creating two unforgettable anti-heroines. In The Broken Heart, John Ford questions the value of emotional repression as his characters attempt to subdue their desires and hatreds in ancient Greece. Finally, Ford's masterpiece 'Tis Pity She's a Whore explores the taboo theme of incest and forbidden lust in a daring reworking of Romeo and Juliet. Jane Kingsley-Smith has edited the plays from the earliest quartos and added invaluable editorial material, including explanatory glosses and a new introduction that discusses how the playwrights explored issues around women, sex, power and violence. JOHN WEBSTER was born in about 1578 in London. He studied law at the Middle Temple before embarking on a career in the theatre, collaborating on many plays with contemporary dramatists. But it was his two solo-authored tragedies, The White Devil (1612) and The Duchess of Malfi (1614), which sealed his reputation. He died in the 1630s. JOHN FORD was born in 1586 in Devon. His early career was wholly concerned with poetry and philosophical works, and it was not until the 1620s that he began collaborating on stage plays. In the late 1620s, he began writing alone, producing the eight plays on which his reputation would be based, including The Broken Heart (1620) and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (c.1630). Nothing more is known of Ford after the performance of his last play in 1638. JANE KINGSLEY-SMITH completed her PhD at the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon and is the author of two monographs: Shakespeare's Drama of Exile (2003) and Cupid in Early Modern Literature and Culture (2010). She is a Reader at Roehampton University, London, and a regular guest speaker at Shakespeare's Globe.

Anonymously published in 1554, Lazarillo de Tormes remains a centerpiece of Renaissance literature and arguably the most popular example of the picaresque novel. This Norton Critical Edition is based on Ilan Stavans’ new translation, which accurately captures the verve of the original. The Norton Critical Edition also includes: An introduction and explanatory annotations by Ilan Stavans. Contextual materials highlighting the novella’s strong anticlerical views and its affinities with Don Quixote in depictions of social hierarchy in Renaissance Spain, as well as excerpts from Juan de Luna’s Lazarillo sequel. Eight critical studies, by David Gitlitz, Jane W. Albrecht, Louis C. Pérez, Edward H. Friedman, Howard Mancing, T. Anthony Perry, Gabriel H. Lovett, and E. Herman Hespelt. A Selected Bibliography.

The Changeling is a popular Renaissance tragedy in which the relationship between money, sex, and power is explored. Frequently performed and studied in University courses, it is a key text in the New Mermaids series.

Aurora Leigh is an aspiring poet of independent spirit, rebelling against the stifling constraints of Victorian middle-class society and struggling for self expression. This story exposes the hypocrisy and repressive social attitudes of Victorian England.