The Tragedy of Master Arden of Faversham: The New Oxford Shakespeare

By William Shakespeare, Terri Bourus, Iman Sheeha

'He must leave to live that we may love'

The Tragedy of Master Arden of Faversham is based on the murder of Thomas Arden in Faversham in 1551 by his wife, Alice. The play depicts Alice Arden's increasingly desperate attempts to kill her husband so as to be with her lover, Mosby. It is a collaborative play, but also Shakespeare's earliest 'domestic tragedy'. Complete with explanatory notes, a full chronology, and author biography, Iman Sheeha's introduction explores Arden of Faversham's place within the genres of tragedy and true crime, as well as how the play portrays gender, class, race, household service, and neighbourly relationships.

The New Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative editions of Shakespeare's works with introductory materials designed to encourage new interpretations of the plays and poems. Using the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works: Modern Critical Edition, these volumes offer readers the latest thinking on the authentic texts (collated from all surviving original versions of Shakespeare's work) alongside innovative introductions from leading scholars. The texts are accompanied by a comprehensive set of critical apparatus to give readers the best resources to help understand and enjoy Shakespeare's work.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range 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, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192872680
• ISBN13: 9780192872685
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 176 Pages