The Cambridge Companion to English Renaissance Tragedy

Introducing the reader to important topics in English Renaissance tragedy, this Companion presents fresh readings of key texts.

Emma Smith (Edited by), Garrett A. Sullivan, Jr (Edited by)

9780521734646, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 12 August 2010

294 pages, 6 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.4 kg

".. consists of essays on general topics, with emphasis on a wider range of plays than usual." -- Studies in English Literature

Featuring essays by major international scholars, this Companion combines analysis of themes crucial to Renaissance tragedy with the interpretation of canonical and frequently taught texts. Part I introduces key topics, such as religion, revenge, and the family, and discusses modern performance traditions on stage and screen. Bridging this section with Part II is a chapter which engages with Shakespeare. It tackles Shakespeare's generic distinctiveness and how our familiarity with Shakespearean tragedy affects our appreciation of the tragedies of his contemporaries. Individual essays in Part II introduce and contribute to important critical conversations about specific tragedies. Topics include The Revenger's Tragedy and the theatrics of original sin, Arden of Faversham and the preternatural, and The Duchess of Malfi and the erotics of literary form. Providing fresh readings of key texts, the Companion is an essential guide for all students of Renaissance tragedy.

Preface
Chronology
Part I. Themes: 1. Renaissance tragedy: theories and antecedents Mike Pincombe
2. Tragedy, family and household Catherine Richardson
3. Tragedy and the nation state Andrew Hadfield
4. Tragedy and religion Alison Shell
5. Tragedy and revenge Tanya Pollard
6. Tragic subjectivities Garrett A. Sullivan, Jr
7. Tragic forms Lucy Munro
8. Tragedy and performance Lois Potter
9. Renaissance tragedy on film: defying mainstream Shakespeare Pascale Aebischer
10. Shakespeare and early modern tragedy Emma Smith
Part II. Readings: 11. The Spanish Tragedy and metatheatre Gregory M. Colón Semenza
12. Dr Faustus: dramaturgy and disturbance Mark Thornton Burnett
13. Edward II: Marlowe, tragedy and the sublime Patrick Cheney
14. Arden of Faversham: tragic action at a distance Mary Floyd-Wilson
15. The Revenger's Tragedy: original sin and the allures of vengeance Heather Hirschfield
16. The Tragedy of Mariam: legitimacy and maternal authority Mary Beth Rose
17. The Changeling and the dynamics of ugliness Gordon McMullan
18. The Duchess of Malfi: tragedy and gender Judith Haber
19. 'Tis Pity She's a Whore: the play of intertextuality Emily C. Bartels.

Subject Areas: Shakespeare studies & criticism [DSGS], Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800 [DSBD], Literary studies: classical, early & medieval [DSBB], Literary studies: general [DSB], Literary theory [DSA], Literature & literary studies [D]