Five Revenge Tragedies
The Spanish Tragedy; Hamlet; Antonio's Revenge; The Tragedy of Hoffman; The Revenger's Tragedy
William Shakespeare - Author
Emma Smith - Notes by
Emma Smith - Editor/introduction
ISBN 9780141192277 | 464 pages | 27 Nov 2012 | Penguin Classics | 5.07 x 7.79in | 18 - AND UP
|
A new, authoritative edition of five classic revenge plays As the Elizabethan era gave way to the reign of James I, England grappled with corruption within the royal court and widespread religious anxiety. Dramatists responded with morally complex plays of dark wit and violent spectacle, exploring the nature of death, the abuse of power, and vigilante justice. This anthology presents five crucial tragedies of the era collected together for the first time, including Shakespeare's 1603 version of Hamlet and Middleton's The Revenger's Tragedy, a ferocious satire that reflects the mounting disillusionment of the age. The introduction by Shakespeare scholar Emma Smith explores the political and religious climate behind the plays, as well as their dramatic conventions. “Five Revenge Tragedies makes the core texts of the genre available to students in an affordable, accessible edition. Emma Smith’s introduction is scholarly and at the same time engaging, and will likely prove useful to undergraduate and graduate students a like. This is a volume which is long overdue, and a welcome edition to the Penguin catalog.” —Gabriel A Rieger, Assistant Professor, Languages and Literature, Concord University |
