John Webster, Renaissance Dramatist (Renaissance Dramas and Dramatists),Used

From the Back CoverRenaissance Dramatists Series Editor: Sean McEvoy An invaluable resource for all students of Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, each volume in this series provides an authoritative and uptodate survey of a major dramatist's work with a focus on the plays in performance. Each guide provides: * An informative account of the writer's entire dramatic output, with an emphasis on those plays most frequently studied at university, college and school * Detailed and relevant contextual information on history, culture, politics and biography * A lucid survey of important recent criticism * Original critical readings of the major plays John Webster, Renaissance Dramatist David Coleman Transgressive and darkly brilliant, the drama of John Webster has long been recognised as one of the crowning glories of the English Renaissance. But this apparently idiosyncratic individual, fascinated by insanity, corruption, and the macabre, was also a successful businessman, involved in trade networks beyond the theatre, and writing most of his plays in apparently amicable collaboration with a host of other dramatists. Such is the enigma of John Webster; caricatured as a pessimist obsessed with morbidity and death, Webster's true significance lies in his ability to perceive that the darkness at the heart of humanity must coexist with the routine and the social interaction of everyday life. John Webster, Renaissance Dramatist locates Webster's remarkable plays within the context of the culture from which they sprang. Examining the uncertain political, religious, and economic climate of Jacobean London, this book offers a guide to one of the most distinctive, yet most elusive, voices of Renaissance England. Introducing readers to both the great tragedies, The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil, and the lesserknown works, this book explains why Webster has fascinated and horrified generations of critics and theatregoers, and argues that the relevance and resProduct DescriptionTransgressive and darkly brilliant, the drama of John Webster has long been recognised as one of the crowning glories of the English Renaissance. But this apparently idiosyncratic individual, fascinated by insanity, corruption, and the macabre, was also a successful businessman, involved in trade networks beyond the theatre, and writing most of his plays in apparently amicable collaboration with a host of other dramatists. Such is the enigma of John Webster; caricatured as a pessimist obsessed with morbidity and death, Webster's true significance lies in his ability to perceive that the darkness at the heart of humanity must coexist with the routine and the social interaction of everyday life. John Webster, Renaissance Dramatist locates Webster's remarkable plays within the context of the culture from which they sprang. Examining the uncertain political, religious, and economic climate of Jacobean London, this book offers a guide to one of the most distinctive, yet most elusive, voices of Renaissance England. Introducing readers to both the great tragedies, The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil, and the lesserknown works, this book explains why Webster has fascinated and horrified generations of critics and theatregoers, and argues that the relevance and resonance of Webster's drama continues to grow.Key Features* The most comprehensive and uptodate introduction to Webster's dramatic oeuvre* Individual chapters on The White Devil, The Duchess of Malfi and The Devil's LawCase place each major play in their historical, cultural and critical contexts* Examines the performance history of the plays, from the original stage performances to twentyfirst century cinematic interpretations* The only introductory guide to Webster to take account of the most pioneering recent scholarshipAbout the AuthorDavid Coleman is Lecturer in Early Modern Literature at Queen's University Belfast. He is the author of Drama and the Sacraments in SixteenthCentury Engla