Written in defiance of Jeremy Collier and the budding fashion forsentimental drama, this late Restoration comedy exposes the reformedrake Loveless to the temptations of London and the charms of a merrywidow, neither of which he is able to withstand.
Enduringly popular less for its plots than for its verbal brillianceand wit, The School for Scandal (1777) was the most frequentlyperformed play of its time.
Enduringly popular less for its plots than for its verbal brillianceand wit, The School for Scandal (1777) was the most frequentlyperformed play of its time.
Both Sheridan and Goldsmith lamented the popularity of sentimental comedy in the later eighteenth century and wrote their witty and satirical plays (though never lascivious in the manner of Restoration comedies) to counteract the sentimental mode.
Both Sheridan and Goldsmith lamented the popularity of sentimental comedy in the later eighteenth century and wrote their witty and satirical plays (though never lascivious in the manner of Restoration comedies) to counteract the sentimental mode.
Early modern London - too foggy and Protestant to have a carnival -offered its inhabitants commercial events during which to indulge theirneed for bodily delights and festival exuberance.
Early modern London - too foggy and Protestant to have a carnival -offered its inhabitants commercial events during which to indulge theirneed for bodily delights and festival exuberance.
One of the great Renaissance playwrights, Middleton wrote tragedies essentially different from either Marlowe's or Shakespeare's, being wittier than the former and more grittily ironic than the latter.
Written for the adult players at the open-air Swan theatre in 1613,this master-piece of Jacobean city comedy signals its ironic natureeven in the title: chaste maids, like most other goods and people inLondon's busiest commercial area, are likely to be fake.
Written for the adult players at the open-air Swan theatre in 1613,this master-piece of Jacobean city comedy signals its ironic natureeven in the title: chaste maids, like most other goods and people inLondon's busiest commercial area, are likely to be fake.
The Alchemist is set during a plague epidemic in the Liberty of Blackfriars in 1610 - and was first performed on tour in 1610 by the company whose London home at Blackfriars was temporarily closed due to a plague epidemic.
The Alchemist is set during a plague epidemic in the Liberty of Blackfriars in 1610 - and was first performed on tour in 1610 by the company whose London home at Blackfriars was temporarily closed due to a plague epidemic.
Although it was written shortly before or after Queen Elizabeth's deathin 1603 and performed by the boy company at Blackfriars, this playforeshadows the light ladies and callous gallants of Restorationcomedy.
Although it was written shortly before or after Queen Elizabeth's deathin 1603 and performed by the boy company at Blackfriars, this playforeshadows the light ladies and callous gallants of Restorationcomedy.
One of the smash hits of the late 1580s and 90s, Tamburlaineestablished blank verse as the poetic line of English Renaissancedrama, Edward Alleyn as the first English star actor and Marlowe as oneof the foremost playwrights of his time.
One of the smash hits of the late 1580s and 90s, Tamburlaineestablished blank verse as the poetic line of English Renaissancedrama, Edward Alleyn as the first English star actor and Marlowe as oneof the foremost playwrights of his time.
Marlowe's play retains its power to shock even today, and this editiongives full value to its three overriding themes of sexual favouritism,political confrontation and sheer cruelty.
Marlowe's play retains its power to shock even today, and this editiongives full value to its three overriding themes of sexual favouritism,political confrontation and sheer cruelty.
Like all of Jonson's city comedies, this play - here given in the 1616 Folio version, in which Jonson rewrote and set it in England, not Italy - is a kind of dramatised Do-It-Yourself kit on how to bluff one's way in Elizabethan London.
Like all of Jonson's city comedies, this play - here given in the 1616 Folio version, in which Jonson rewrote and set it in England, not Italy - is a kind of dramatised Do-It-Yourself kit on how to bluff one's way in Elizabethan London.
'A silent and loving woman is a gift of the lord'This 'excellent comedy of affliction' enjoyed enormous prestige for more than a century after its first performance: for John Dryden it had 'the greatest and most noble construction of any pure unmixed comedy in any language'.
'A silent and loving woman is a gift of the lord'This 'excellent comedy of affliction' enjoyed enormous prestige for more than a century after its first performance: for John Dryden it had 'the greatest and most noble construction of any pure unmixed comedy in any language'.
Dryden's audiences in 1671, both aristocratic and middle-class, wouldhave been quick to respond to the themes of disputed royal succession,Francophilia and loyalty among subjects in his most successfultragicomedy.
Dryden's audiences in 1671, both aristocratic and middle-class, wouldhave been quick to respond to the themes of disputed royal succession,Francophilia and loyalty among subjects in his most successfultragicomedy.
It is a historical phenomenon that while thousands of women were beingburnt as witches in early modern Europe, the English - although therewere a few celebrated trials and executions, one of which the playdramatises - were not widely infected by the witch-craze.
It is a historical phenomenon that while thousands of women were beingburnt as witches in early modern Europe, the English - although therewere a few celebrated trials and executions, one of which the playdramatises - were not widely infected by the witch-craze.
This Jacobean city comedy is a curiosity in that it presents areal-life character, the notorious cross-dresser Moll Frith, whoprobably was among the first audiences of 'her' play before she wastaken up for public misconduct.
This Jacobean city comedy is a curiosity in that it presents areal-life character, the notorious cross-dresser Moll Frith, whoprobably was among the first audiences of 'her' play before she wastaken up for public misconduct.
More successful in its day than The Way of the World, which is nowaccounted Congreve's best play, Love for Love (1695) is a comical farcemanifesting the verbal polish and the theatrical wit that audiences soenjoy in Congreve.
More successful in its day than The Way of the World, which is nowaccounted Congreve's best play, Love for Love (1695) is a comical farcemanifesting the verbal polish and the theatrical wit that audiences soenjoy in Congreve.
'[A] deeply considered and stimulating book, informed throughout by the author's intimate knowledge of the literature and society of Shakespeare's age.
'[A] deeply considered and stimulating book, informed throughout by the author's intimate knowledge of the literature and society of Shakespeare's age.
