The Duchess of Malfi
by John Webster
Category: Literary Criticism

This fully re-edited, modernised play text is accompanied by insightful commentary notes, while its lively introduction provides an essential contextual grounding in the court scandals, anti-Catholic sentiment and Senecan drama that formed a backdrop to Webster's tragedy. Exploring the challenges of staging this highly melodramatic play, Karen Britland guides you through the most interesting points of its rich performance history, and analyses recent productions such as Dominic Dromgoole's version at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, starring Gemma Arterton. Analysing its masterful poetry, she shows how the work can be harnessed to engage in contemporary social debates about privacy, torture, surveillance, and personal freedom, and empowers you to do likewise. Supplemented by a plot summary, an annotated bibliography, production images, useful web links and sample questions and essay ideas, this edition is the most enlightening and engaging you will find.