Arden of Faversham - (Arden Early Modern Drama) by Catherine Richardson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Based on the true story of the murder of Thomas Arden by his wife, her lover and accomplices in 1551, Arden of
Faversham is one of the earliest domestic tragedies and a play which has continued to thrill audiences since its first
staging. This comprehensive edition situates the play in its social, cultural and political context while exploring
its performance and critical history through a range of historical and contemporary productions, including William Poel's Lilies That Fester (1897) and the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2014 production. Throughout, the edition aims to reanimate the play's engagement with the material culture of domestic life, using little-known evidence for the objects and spaces implicated in the murder. The introduction also accounts for recent new thinking about the play's likely authorship, including claims that Shakespeare was a key co-author. The comprehensive, illustrated introduction combined with detailed on-page commentary notes and glosses make this an ideal edition for students and teachers.

Review Quotes

"[The editor] combine[s] personal enthusiasm ... with scholarly rigour, and the result is ... useful and enjoyable insights into early modern drama." --The Times Literary Supplement

"Richardson's is a valuable edition of Arden for students, teachers, and scholars, making important contributions to our understanding of the play and no doubt occupying a significant place in editorial history." --Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen

About the Author

Catherine Richardson is Reader in Renaissance Studies at the University of Kent, UK