The Duchess of Malfi and Other Plays

By John Webster

Book Overview

John Webster was a radically and creatively experimental dramatist. This volume offers his two great Jacobean tragedies, The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi, together with his brilliant tragicomedy, The Devil's Law-Case, and the comedy written with William Rowley, A Cure for a Cuckold. The texts of the plays have been newly edited and are presented with modernized spelling and punctuation.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199539286
• ISBN13: 9780199539284
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

“Cover her face; mine eyes dazzle: she died young.” - John Webster

This was originally published as “The Tragedy of the Duchess of Malfy.” Before you actually get to the play, do not overlook this fairly good introduction, including information on the author, early performances of Webster’s plays, the source of the play, Webster’s tragedy of the Duchess of Malfi, a note on the text, and acknowledgments. It is good to know the source of the “cover her face” line in context. You might even have a new favorite writer. Many people find out about this play through college courses. I came across this because of a quote from the play in Agatha Christie’s “Sleeping Murder.” Then I ran across this again as “Cover Her Face” by P. D. James. Then it started turning up everywhere, even “Queen of the D-a-m-n-e-d” by Anne Rice.