Webster: The Duchess of Malfi

by David Carnegie

Overview

The Duchess of Malfi is generally regarded as John Webster's finest play, a masterpiece of tragic depth and emotional complexity. The conflict between private love and public political behaviour for a passionate but circumscribed woman is as theatrically pertinent now as when first performed. This timely Handbook:

- Examines the play's sources and its cultural context
- Offers a detailed theatrical commentary that aids visualisation of the underlying dynamics and structure of the play in performance, and explores performance possibilities
- Analyses influential productions on stage and screen, from when it was first performed by the actors of Shakespeare's theatre company, the King's Men, to the present day
- Presents key critical debates and assessments of The Duchess of Malfi

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350316744
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	09/01/2014
Series:	Shakespeare Handbooks
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	168
File size:	442 KB

About the Author

David Carnegie is Emeritus Professor of Theatre at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He is co-editor of The Works of John Webster and has published widely on early modern stagecraft.
DAVID CARNEGIE is Professor of Theatre at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and a Fellow of the New Zealand Academy of the Humanities.

Table of Contents

General Editors' Preface
Preface
1. The Text and Early Performances
2. Commentary
3. The Play's Sources and Cultural Context
4. Key Productions and Performances
5. The Play on Screen
6. Critical Assessments
Further Reading
Index.