History Plays

This collection of four history plays considers the plays of William Shakespeare as part of the intellectual climate of his day and here presents his Richard the Second with Christopher Marlowe's Edward the Second, Philip Massinger's The Duke of Milan and John Ford's The Chronicle History of Perkin Warbeck. In teaching Renaissance drama, the editor, Bente Videbaek, always wanted to present The Bard in the context of others than himself. After all, Shakespeare wrote in the same developing cultural environment as his fellow dramatists, and many values and themes are shared among playwrights who can conveniently illuminate each other's interpretations of their culture. The four plays and their playwrights are individually introduced and all texts are newly edited, annotated, and modernized. A short section of conemtporary views on history plays and a glossary at the end of the book should prove helpful for students exploring the history sub-genre.