Set in pre-World War I England, the story centers on the conflict between a coarse, blustering coal miner and his refined, working-class wife.

A Collier's Friday NightThe Widowing of Mrs HolroydThe Daughter-in-LawThe Fight for BarbaraTouch and GoOxford English Drama offers plays from the sixteenth to early twentieth centuries in selections that make available both rarely printed and canonical works. The texts are freshly edited using modern spelling. Critical introductions, wide-ranging annotation, and informative bibliographiesilluminate the play's cultural contexts and theatrical potential for reader and performer alike.'The series should reshape the canon in a number of significant areas. A splendid and imaginative project.' Anne Barton, Canbridge University

Thomas Shadwell, The Libertine * George Etherege, The Man of Mode * Thomas Durfey, A Fond Husband * Thomas Otway, Friendship in Fashion These four plays in the Oxford English Drama series capture the range of responses to the fashionable and daring libertine movement in the second half of the seventeenth century. A Fond Husband and Friendship in Fashion are lesser-known comic gems of the Restoration stage; The Man of Mode is Etherege's masterpiece, and The Libertine is Shadwell's experimental and dark version of the Don Juan story. The texts are freshly edited using modern spelling. There is a critical introduction, wide-ranging annotation, and an informative bibliography which together illuminate the plays' cultural context and theatrical potential for reader and performer alike. 'The series should shape the canon in a number of significant areas. A splendid and imaginative project.' Professor Anne Barton, Cambridge University

Mary Pix: The Innocent Mistress (1697) Susanna Centlivre: The Busy-Body (1709) Elizabeth Griffith: The Times (1779) Hannah Cowley: The Belle's Stratagem (1780) Oxford English Drama offers plays from the sixteenth to the early twentieth centuries in selections that make available both rarely printed and canonical works. The texts are freshly edited using modern spelling. Critical introductions, wide-ranging annotation, and informative bibliographies illuminate the plays' cultural contexts and theatrical potential for reader and performer alike. 'The series should reshape the canon in a number of signficant areas. A splendid and imaginative project' Professor Anne Barton, Cambridge University ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

The Revenge Tragedy flourished in Britain in the late Elizabethan and Jacobean period for both literary and cultural reasons. Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy (1587) helped to establish the popularity of the genre, and it was followed by The Revenger's Tragedy (1606), published anonymously and ascribed first to Cyril Tourneur and then to Thomas Middleton. George Chapman's The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois and Tourneur's The Atheist's Tragedy were written between 1609 and 1610. Each of the four plays printed here defines the problems of the revenge genre, often by exploiting its conventions in unexpected directions. All deal with fundamental moral questions about the meaning of justice and the lengths to which victimized individuals may go to obtain it, while registering the social strains of life in a rigid but increasingly fragile social hierarchy.

Aphra Behn (1640-89) was both successful and controversial in her own lifetime; her achievements are now recognized less equivocally and her plays, often revived, demonstrate wit, compassion and remarkable range. This edition brings together her most important comedies in a single volume: The Rover, her best-known play; The Feigned Courtesans, a lively comedy of intrigue; The Lucky Chance, a comedy with a bitter edge, which takes a satirical look at marriage customs; and the dazzling and popular farce, The Emperor of the Moon. All the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and punctuation.

Synge was one of the key dramatists in the world of Irish literature at the turn of the century. This volume offers all of Synge's plays, which range from racy comedy to stark tragedy, all sharing a memorable lyricism. The introduction places him in the context of the Irish literary movement.

Jacobean Tragedy explores the tensions between the disruptive energies of sex and seventeenth century social, cultural and political values with an exceptional frankness, and the plays collected in this volume demonstrate the genre at its most sinister and explicit. The plays included are The Insatiate Countess, The Maid's Tragedy, The Maiden's Tragedy, and The Tragedy of Valentinian.

The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd: A Drama in Three Acts by D. H. Lawrence: This gripping drama by D. H. Lawrence delves into the complex relationships and emotional turmoil within a working-class family. Set in a coal-mining community in England, it explores themes of love, desire, and the harsh realities of life in a mining town during the early 20th century. Key Aspects of the Book "The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd: A Drama in Three Acts": Family Dynamics: Lawrence examines the dynamics of the Holroyd family, portraying the tensions and conflicts that arise among its members. Social Realism: The play offers a realistic depiction of the working-class life and the challenges faced by those in a mining community. Human Emotions: It delves deep into human emotions, including love, passion, and resentment, providing a rich exploration of the characters' inner lives. D. H. Lawrence was a British novelist, poet, and playwright, born in 1885. He is best known for his works exploring the complexities of human relationships and sexuality. Lawrence's writing often challenged societal norms and delved into the depths of human psychology. "The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd" is one of his notable dramatic works, showcasing his talent for portraying the human condition with depth and insight.

This collection includes five comedies on the theme of marital disharmony by Restoration playwright John Vanburgh (1664-1726). The text includes a critical introduction, wide-ranging annotation, and bibliography.