The Spanish Tragedy: A Critical Reader

by Thomas Rist, Andrew Hiscock, Lisa Hopkins

Overview

The Spanish Tragedy was the first 'revenge tragedy' on the English Renaissance stage: but for its influence, major dramas including The Revenger's Tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi and even Hamlet would not exist as they do. It is thus a key text for the study of Renaissance drama and normally appears in introductory undergraduate courses on Renaissance drama and Shakespeare. Despite its initial smash-hit status, after the closing of the theatres in 1642 the play was only once performed in Britain before its gradual revival in the 20th century. Following its first professional performance in 1973, the play has come to be recognised as a Renaissance classic, receiving frequent performance. This volume will bring together its most insightful and influential modern scholars to produce an edition read both by experts in the field and lovers of Thomas Kyd's drama.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472528957
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/20/2016
Series:	Arden Early Modern Drama Guides
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Thomas Rist is Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Aberdeen. His publications include Shakespeare's Romances and the Politics of Counter-Reformation, Revenge Tragedy and the Drama of Commemoration in Reforming England and, co-edited with Andrew Gordon, The Arts of Remembrance in Early Modern England: Memorial Cultures of the Post-Reformation.

Table of Contents

Series Introduction
Notes on Contributors

Introduction (Thomas Rist)
1 The Critical Backstory (Edel Semple)
2 'Look on This Spectacle': The Spanish Tragedy in Performance (Peter Malin)
3 The Spanish Tragedy: State of the Art (Stevie Simkin)
4 New Directions: Seneca and The Spanish Tragedy (Gordon Braden)
5 New Directions: Geopolitics and The Spanish Tragedy (Eric Griffin)
6 New Directions: The Spanish Tragedy and Virgil (Tom Rutter)
7 New Directions: Female Mourbaning, Revenge and Hieronimo's Doomsday Play
(Katharine Goodland)
8 The Spanish Tragedy: Resources for Teaching (Leslie Drury)
Notes
Select Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Well argued, clear, and thought-provoking ... not only informative but also well written and thus more enjoyable to read ... discusses a wide variety of subjects for such a concise book.” - H-Nationalism

From the Publisher